A Tale of Two Sisters
REVIEW: MY SISTER
BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO
Janet Schlapkohl’s play My Sister returns to L.A. after its West Coast premiere at the Hollywood Fringe Festival where it won two awards. This two-person play tells the story of two identical twins, one with a disability, in Berlin during the Nazi rise to power. Schlapkohl wrote the play for performers Emily Hinkler (Magda) and Elizabeth Hinkler (Matilde), her then theater department students at the University of Iowa. My Sister is a charming theatrical time capsule, a lost and forgotten diary that is discovered in real-time by audiences on stage—the kind of theater piece that intrigues and delights.
Emily Hinkler (Magda) and Elizabeth Hinkler (Matilde). Photo Credit: Enci Box.
The play bookends with an older Magda addressing the audience in the theatre she performed in her youth—whether she’s real or a ghost we can only infer, but she here she dramatically opens and closes the proverbial diary. We are then spring boarded into the story with Magda performing a song in the same theater years earlier. Written by Christopher Gene Okiishi, the original songs are reminiscent of Kurt Weil and Bertolt Brecht songs with their simple yet interesting harmony, motivic melodies and clever turns of phrase. The other songs in the show include the song “Falling in Love Again” by Frederick Hollander and Reg Connelly and traditional German folk song “If I Were A Little Bird”. Upon hearing Emily performing in the cabaret, one can’t help but think of 1930’s German star Marlene Dietrich. All of Emily’s expanded cabaret performances are the highlights of the play—Emily’s voice is silvery and crisp, she simply sparkles in these scenes.
Emily Hinkler (Magda) and Elizabeth Hinkler (Matilde). Photo Credit: Enci Box.
Before long we are introduced to Magda’s sister Matilde who suffers for a mental disorder resembling cerebral palsy and is thus forced to remain in their tiny apartment. Matilde spends her time writing political and poignant comedy sketches for Madga to perform at the cabaret—sketches that Madga is forced to alter and soften as to not offend the rising National Socialist Party. My Sister successfully weaves the tale of these two sisters with the growing presence of the Nazi party in Germany—we experience these side by side until they ultimately collide at the end. The director and playwright take the time to show how the Magda cares for Matilde, however, these moments also serve to stymie the action of the play which is far more interesting than the realism depicted in these scenes.
Elizabeth Hinkler (Matilde). Photo Credit: Enci Box.
The performances of Emily Hinkler (Magda) and Elizabeth Hinkler (Matilde) are heartfelt, and deep reaching—their true to life bond as twins sisters strengthens their connection on stage. Emily is a strong, resilient, and spunky Magda who we sense wants to act her age but can’t, as she is also the guardian for her sister. Elizabeth is witty, child-like and misunderstands the severity of the volatile world around her—she wants to rise above her disability in a world that only wants to put her down. Additionally, it is evident that Elizabeth has researched the disability of her character as she executes this role with absolute precision. The Hinkler twins offer performances that are rarely see at the theatre—the bond of family—which is no stronger displayed and felt than in My Sister.
My Sister runs at the Odyssey Theatre from January 16-March 6th with post show discussions on Friday January 29; Thursday February 11 and Wednesday February 24th for more information and tickets visit: www.odysseyTheatre.com.
CLICK HERE for my exclusive interview with playwright Janet Schlapkohl.
