What I liked
I wrote this just hours after seeing the show, while the feelings were still echoing through me. Here is my full review:
Daniel Sliwa’s Fringe debut, STARLIGHT STAGE had me in tears — and in awe.
I didn’t know where the story was going at first. It felt dreamlike, almost mysterious — but slowly, tenderly, it unfolded into something deeply moving. A meditation on family, memory, love and what we carry with us in the quietest corners of our hearts.
I found myself crying through most of it — not just at the emotional beats, but at the way the play reached into places I didn’t expect. Especially in the moments where a daughter and mother meet in their dreams. Surreal. Strange. Beautiful.
The cast was terrific across the board, but I have to highlight Teya Patt, who played the mother. Her performance was luminous — layered, subtle and full of heartbreak. There’s a moment near the end where one of the daughters cries out “Mom, wait,” and the stage goes dark with a soft flicker, like the soul slipping away. It was devastating — and deeply poetic.
Daniel, your writing has softness and strength, humor and spirit and that final scene left a glow in the room that stayed with me all day. I’m so proud of you. What a gift this was.
Congratulations on an unforgettable Fringe debut.
What I didn't like
Nothing I’d change. This show knew what it wanted to say—and it said it with heart.
My overall impression
What began as something quiet and abstract gradually revealed itself to be a poignant mediation on memory, love and the invisible threads that connect us. It surprised me with its emotional depth and stayed with me long after the final scene.
