Adult Child/Dead Child

Claire Dowie
Kissbar Theatre Company
Sweet ECA

This eerie tale of a schizophrenic child without the language to realize what her problem is strikes the viewer as both sensitive and chilling. Performers Penny Lisle and Nikki Hornett act as the two sides of the young girl's personality, although the decision has been made that neither be cast as the 'good' or 'bad' side exclusively. Rather, Hornett plays the more restrained version of the child in question, while surges of emotion generally bring Lisle to the forefront.

The story is told through repetition and poetic construction of dialogues between the two performers, and although the narrative thrust of the tale begins to feel forced near the end of the production, on the whole this is a thought-provoking look at the reasons behind and reality of mental illness. Despite the proposition that AdultChild/Deadchild takes place in a world without love, there is a great deal of caring and compassion from the company toward their subject.

Reviewer: Rachel Lynn Brody

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