Review: FRIDA... A SELF PORTRAIT at Shakespeare Theatre Company

If Frida Kahlo was still alive today, I imagine conversations with her would be pretty close to how Vanessa Severo portrays it in her brilliant one-woman play Frida… A Self Portrait, now onstage at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre. On a stage set with a larger than life bed frame and clothes lines strewn with a variety of costumes and props used to tell each intricate part of the story, Severo takes the audience on a journey through Kahlo’s life, up until the moment she dies. A story full of love, heartbreak, and passion leaves each person in the theater reflecting on Kahlo’s life - and their own. 

From the moment that Severo steps onstage, still portraying herself, it is clear that she has done copious amounts of research and introspection to be able to portray someone such as Frida Kahlo in what can only be assumed as an authentic manner. Using an interview on Frida’s final day as the backdrop, Severo takes the audience through Kahlo’s life; from childhood to the tragic accident that changed the trajectory of her life and falling in love to the heartbreak that followed. Severo works her way through the clothes lines, using a variety of costumes to portray different people, such as her father or Diego Rivera, which was such a creative and unique way for one actor to play many roles. Despite being a tragic tale, Severo sprinkles in the appropriate amount of humor to balance it out. Her choreography was beautiful, and the use of movement to tell the stories was brilliant and made the performance even more memorable. As someone pretty familiar with Kahlos’s art, I especially enjoyed the nod to The Two Fridas throughout the end of the show. Severo made a great choice when it came to truly bringing Kahlo’s art to life. I loved every minute that Severo was on stage, and believe that anyone else attending Frida… A Self Portrait will too. 

Joanie Schultz’s direction brought Severo’s work to life in such incredible ways. Bringing someone else’s life story to life must be a daunting task, and it is clear that in conjunction with Severo, Schultz was up for the challenge. The use of a simple stage with minimal props, but genius uses of the few that there were, was a wonderful choice. The way that this production is staged is beautiful, and I have to offer major kudos to Schultz for her creativity and all around work on making this a stunning production. 

The technical crew had such an important role in this production as well. Composed of Jacqueline Penrod (Scenic Designer), Katherine Davis (Costume Designer), Rachel Cady (Lighting Designer), and Thomas Dixon (Sound Designer & Composer), this team also worked hard to bring Frida’s story to life. The costumes reflected specific outfits and moments that are true pieces of Kahlo’s life and in conjunction with the simple yet creative and expertly used set, it was easy to feel like you were right there with Frida herself. The use of music and specific sound and lighting choices to demonstrate changes in the setting or to introduce a new segment of the play helped keep the story flowing and were great assets in setting the tone throughout the production. 

Whether you are a Frida Kahlo aficionado like myself or unfamiliar with her life and work, Vanessa Severo’s Frida… A Self Portrait is a wonderful night of theatre that I would recommend to anyone. Thank you to Severo for bringing Frida’s story to life and sharing it with the DC theatre community. This is a production that is sure to leave a lasting impression on both me and other theatregoers alike. 

Run Time: Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes without an intermission. 

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