Fringe Remount: The Memory Box of the Sister's Fox and Facility
Imagined Theater is remounting two of the best reviewed Fringe shows from this summer’s festival for a couple of weeks at the Sabes Jewish Community Center, The Memory Box of the Sisters Fox and Facility. The first show is haunting and the second show is heartbreaking. I had a chance to see The Memory Box of the Sisters Fox at this past summer’s Fringe festival and loved it. I had not seen Facility but I had heard good things and was interested to see what everyone was talking about. My thoughts on the individual shows can be found below. I took my write up for The Memory Box of the Sisters Fox is taken from my Fringe reviews.
The Memory Box of the Sisters Fox is a fascinating show about, unsurprisingly, the Fox sisters, who I was unaware were the founders of the spiritualism movement. The show contained all the ghostly eeriness and other-worldness that the show's subject demanded. Although the show seemed to exist on another plane, it was also heartbreakingly human in telling of the lives of the Fox sisters, and how they lived within and shaped the culture and history of the mid 1800s. The show by Winding Sheet Outfit was directed by Amber Bjork and the sisters were brought to life by Megan Campbell Lagas, Kayla Dvorak Feld, Kristina Fjellman, and Boo Segersin. This show was on many people's must see lists for a reason, the writing, acting and design all worked together beautifully. I recommend seeing it before Fringe ends. November remount note: I have been humming the song In the Gloaming for days, it is used beautifully in the show.
Facility by Phil Darg, production by Imagined Theater, takes a deep and brave look into the reality of what happens to an adult living with dementia and the state of the many assisted living facilities. The show is honest and heartbreaking to watch. It is not a spoiler to say given the subject matter that the story is not a happy one. Lionel is an old man living in an assisted living facility and not being treated well, to the point of elder abuse. His daughter Dorothy only wants what is best for her father but is struggling to know how best to care for him. The performances, particularly by Paul Brissett as Lionel were powerful. This story is not one that is unfamiliar to most but it is still very powerful and resonant to see it played out on stage.
These two shows are playing at the Sabes Jewish Community Center through November 18th. More information about getting tickets can be found by clicking here.