What I liked
There was a moment in the show where I felt Karen and I locked eyes as she played the 4th movement distressed that within 24 hours, 80% of what you hear as an audience member is not retained and leaves your memory. I thought that part was the emotional climax of the show. lol I was hooked.
Also, she seamlessly played through both minuets and explained the concept of D.C. al fine of how the end is in the middle. Lovely message to share!
What I didn't like
No notes, what a tight show! I’d love to see it multiple times in the future to analyze more of the scenes in the middle.
My overall impression
Engaging master class of a solo Fringe show. I thought the amalgamation of the classical, orchestral world and clowning took center stage beautifully.
I was impressed at the staging, the narrative flow between all 7 movements of the Solo Violoncello by JS Bach (which is played true to Bach’s Baroque style), the minimalistic-yet-effective use of clothing to characterize and provide new settings into Karen’s story, the all-too-real mental breakdowns of what it means to be sexualized, financially-strained, enmeshing your own sanity in the journey of the mastery and 10000 hours of your craft, and pouring your soul for what seems to be very little literal payoff to your efforts.
I, myself, am a freelance musician, so many of the asides felt so personal to me, as if I was watching parts of myself on full display. Karen going through her bag of “investments” showcased what it’s like to be weighed down by it all.
This Fringe show really conveys what it means to be good at what you do and have that be all overlooked, every moment of success ephemeral and over to the next part of life. I love that she engaged with the audience and reminded them not to clap until the end of the musical piece. It really felt like everyone was paying full attention to her next move. Happy 50th show! Karen nailed it.
