★ ★ ★ ★
An old fashioned kissing booth at the carnival beckons us, replete with the nostalgia of Americana and a time gone by. Kait Warner’s Cheryl is full of charm and moxie, looking out for everyone, she’s a dime-store therapist for the hurt and in pain, a role she takes to deflect from her own.
The world of the carnival is beautifully realised, through Jacqueline Brockel’s set and Olivia Vaughn Hern’s costume design, you’re immersed in this bygone world. It’s Rosalie Neal’s sound that carries Take it Away, Cheryl, as Warner counsels disembodied voices, interacts with the medium next door, and hears the voices of her ancestors. Roxana Monroe and Cati Kalinoski’s prop and light design compliment the authentic setting well.
Kait Warner’s performance is sometimes dwarfed by the production design, and her writing can be far too detailed, but this is an insignificant issue compared to the brilliant tale that unfolds. Danica Jensen’s direction gives us a gothic sensibility reminiscent of Nightmare Alley.
Take it Away, Cheryl goes to a dark strange place, but it’s a hell of a ride, and well worth taking.
