Review: ON THE EVE at Capital Fringe

One of life's most commonly pondered questions is "What if..."

What if you had turned left instead of right? What if you didn't stop for coffee on your way into the office? What if you had taken that big risk or followed that crazy dream? We all indulge in this type of fantasy once in awhile, but imagine the "what ifs" of some of our most celebrated figures from history and the arts. Where is that tipping point from ordinary to extraordinary?

On the Eve, performed by Amy Frey and Thomas Anawalt of Has.No.Name.Theatre for this year's Capital Fringe Festival, asks this question through a series of three relatively well known stories. The opening vignette, "The Miller's Daughter", is better known as the story of Rumplestiltskin, the mythological creature who can spin straw into gold. We encounter the imp and the Miller's Daughter on the final night of her imprisonment. Her fate weighs in the balance - will it be marriage to the King or execution that awaits her in the morning?

The audience is left somewhat in suspense as the actors transition to the second vignette, a take on "Romeo and Juliet". The transition is at first confusing and a little clumsy, but things begin to clear as the dialogue picks back up. We have been transported to Juliet's bedchamber. The star-crossed lovers have married, but Romeo's murder of a Capulet and resulting banishment have left their future in question. As the scene reaches its expected conclusion, the action transitions again; more effectively and for the final time.

The last vignette features Joan of Arc and Charles VII. Perhaps due to its grounding in history rather than literature, this final piece is the meatiest of the three. That said, it may also be the least familiar to audience members and loses some of its dramatic momentum. The piece does, however, seem to come full circle in a way. Opening with a straight myth or fairy tale, moving to a classic piece of literature, and finally ending on a historical figure who has been mythologized and appropriated.

Frey's writing is quite effective and leaves one wondering what she could do with a full length production of any one of these vignettes. While her performances as the Miller's Daughter and Juliet are simple shades of each other, she does come into her own as Joan. By contrast, Anawalt distinctly inhabits each of his individual characters and provides needed clarity, especially early in the piece. Both actors make good use of the unconventional space (St. Augustine's Episcopal Church), though at times, their movements are clearly inhibited.

On the Eve has three remaining performances: Tuesday, 7/17, at 6:45 pm; Saturday, 7/21, at 11:30 am; and Sunday, 7/22, at 5:00 pm. More information and tickets are available at CapitalFringe.org.