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beautiful
must see
physical theater
realistic
well crafted
amazing
bittersweet
cathartic
experiential
harrowing
healing
heartbreak
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immersive
intimate
life affirming
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ANDY JONES-LIANG
certified reviewer
June 13, 2018
This was my first experience with immersive theatre, and what a profound first experience this was. Ashley has created a space for the audience to work through the grieving process alongside the mother & daughter characters, and to reflect on how we work through grief in our own lives. This was an unflinching look at the slow, arduous process of losing a loved one, and while it was uncomfortable, it was also done with so much tenderness and respect. We were in tears at the end. When the lights came up, there was a moment where the audience stayed seated, taking that moment to process in silence. We looked at each other as if to say, "What now?" It was that sort of effect, that contemplation on how we sit within grief, how we move on from it ...
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MICHAEL FONTAINE
certified reviewer
June 14, 2018
There’s always advice to writers of “write what you know”. “When Skies Are Gray” was written by Ashley Steed after her mother’s death. This show is a recount of the days leading up to her mother’s passing and all of the things she had to deal with. You can see the love, admiration, and selflessness that Ashley gives to her mother, even when it seems her mother might not be her usual self....
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LAUREN FLANS
certified reviewer
June 15, 2018
This show fucking wrecked me. Without exaggeration, it's the hardest piece of theatre I've ever seen. I don't usually write Fringe reviews for about twenty different reasons, but I felt like I had to for this one because it was so exceptional. Ashley is incredible and doesn't have a single false moment. The actress playing her mother is unreal. The whole conceit of the show was perfect to me. I'd be wary of seeing it if you've suffered a loss that's still raw or are currently going through one; I cried like a MOTHERFUCKER from about two minutes in til the end, and I don't even fall into one these categories. Loved it. Absolutely devastating. The end....
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VICTORIA HOFFMAN
certified reviewer
June 17, 2018
This is a truly unique, immersive experience. It's everything you want in a Fringe experience....
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ALEX WRIGHT
certified reviewer
June 23, 2018
Absolutely stunning. Ashley has created a profound piece of art, and I felt honored to witness and partake in this journey. Couldn't recommend it more. ...
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SEVEN G
certified reviewer
June 24, 2018
A brilliant show that manages to pull you into your heart center even if you don’t want to go there.
I don’t want to give too much away but prepare to experience what dying and losing a parent is really like; and it’s not like in TV.
As a therapist who has worked with a lot of grief: this play is cathartic and very important and a rare gem: to have the space to really let ourselves connect with these primal feelings of loss that our society runs away from, denies, hides or drowns in alcohol & drugs.
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