Review: THE BROTHER AND THE BIRD at Shaking The Tree

If you never want to sleep again – or to enjoy digging into a nice steak dinner – I highly recommend reading the fairy tale “The Juniper Tree,” which makes every list of “creepiest fairy tales” a quick Google search turned up. Even in the realm of terrifying fairy tales, this one stands out. Which makes it a natural fit for Shaking the Tree Theatre, where artistic director Samantha Van Der Merwe continues to plumb the dark corners of human nature through these macabre stories that have been around for many centuries.

In “The Juniper Tree,” a jealous stepmother kills her stepson and cooks him in a stew -- classic fairy tale fare. Author Alissa Nutting has written a new version, set in the 1950s and focusing on the women – the stepmother and her biological daughter. Nutting’s story, called “The Brother and the Bird,” was published in 2010 in the anthology My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales. It’s this version that Shaking the Tree adapted for the stage.

The tale centers the psychology of the stepmother – what could lead a person to commit a horrific act of violence and what are the psychological consequences of the act? The reality of being a 1950s housewife provides some clues. At its core, this is the story of what can happen when you confine someone to a narrow identity and thus fail to recognize their fundamental humanity. The mother’s actions are beyond understanding, but her motivations are not.

Van Der Merwe could not have found two more perfect actors to realize her vision than Briana Ratterman Trevithick and Sammy Rat Rios (who also composed original music for the show). As the mother, Trevithick brilliantly skirts the edges of sanity, but even at her most monstrous, she’s achingly human. As the 12-year-old daughter, Rat Rios beautifully portrays the transition from the innocence of childhood to learning how the world really works.

The production is technically incredible, from Van Der Merwe’s set design to Abby Jaquin’s lighting and Ethan Van Der Merwe’s video projections. From the moment you walk into the Shaking the Tree warehouse, you are part of the fairy tale. It might look like a mostly white dining room, but just you wait! 

I’ve seen a lot of extraordinary theatre at Shaking the Tree. This spine-tingling production just might be the best so far.

THE BROTHER AND THE BIRD runs through May 18. Seating is very limited, so don’t wait! Details and tickets here.

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