What I liked
This play was damn near perfect. The complex dynamics between Quentin and Tyson were juicy, beautiful, and heartbreaking, and the show actually delves deep into this dynamic, digging into every nook and cranny of these characters to a level that’s rare to see.
The conflict Quentin has with both Tyson and Jill is so barbed and acidic (juicy, this sadistic audience member might say), but there’s still so much tenderness and compassion at the root of it. You can’t side with any of these characters, not really, because you can’t turn your back on any of them, either. The show is peppered with just enough humor that your guard is let down and these characters flood into your heart until you just want to hug them.
Tom Szymanski is an absolute powerhouse, anchoring the play as the conduit between past and present, a position not unfamiliar to writers. Szymanski’s work is nuanced and strong, allowing delicate touches of anxiety and poor self-confidence to dribble over Quentin until he was drowning, while still demonstrating enough grit and resolve to keep us rooting for him.
Emma Burnside allows this subtle rage to burn under her skin for the entire play, driving the play’s action and making her performance stunning to experience. The sadness and anger was palpable and heartbreaking. When she speaks (sidenote: DAMN is her accent work incredible) I’m on the edge of my seat, and she’s also able to make me gasp with just a look to one of her costars.
Zach Feiner brings so much depth and lovability to a character that easily could have been a stock manic pixie dreamboy. Feiner digs deep into the role, allowing us to see cracks in Tyson’s facade that give us deep insight into the character. The humanity and desperation hiding just under Tyson’s confident surface is clear through his performance.
It’s been a few days and my ADHD-addled memory isn’t great, but I’m realizing we don’t quite know how Tyson died? I think Jill refers to it as “the accident” but that’s about it. In the most recent iteration we see of Tyson, he seems depressed and is lying about quitting drinking. I certainly read a conclusion into that, but I love that it’s ambiguous (or I was groggy and I missed it). The story’s not some sensationalist spectacle about how a quirky guy died, it’s about wanting to love a person you can never truly know.
The final stage picture is so beautiful. I often find myself wishing there were a more effective way to love a person—all of a person—even the versions of themselves they were before I met them.
What I didn't like
The only thing I was wanting when I left the theater was more from Jill’s perspective. A scene where we get to see more details of how she remembered Tyson (maybe a scene between them? not sure how I’d feel about that) or where she’s able to contribute her own story to the eulogy would be wonderful.
My overall impression
Top-notch performances, beautiful writing, and simple effective staging make Three Eulogies for Tyson Miller a standout highlight of the Fringe!
