My overall impression
“MY SISTER” is a profoundly moving play about a pair of twins, portrayed and performed brilliantly by real life twins, Emily and Elizabeth Hinkler. Dramatically and comedically the two sisters create the changing world of pre-war Berlin.
One sister a hospital worker by day and cabaret singer by night, performed honestly and exuberantly by Emily Hinkler, is naive in her understanding of the upcoming dangers of the Nazi party as they gain political momentum.
The other sister, stricken with cerebral palsy, portrayed by Elizabeth Hinkler with depth and complexity, writes her sister’s Cabaret pieces. Her dire circumstances and her addiction to the international news on a short wave radio allow her to understand the gravity of their dilemma.
The characters are Jewish, but the Berlin portrayed in the play is before Jews were rounded up. Without giving the plot away, we watch the joy and love of the two sisters grow as the world around them gets worse and ultimately tears them apart.
“MY SISTER” is a must-see play at the Hollywood Fringe theater festival. And Emily and Elizabeth Hinkler are brilliant actors, each in their own right and as an identical pair.
