‘The Nightmare Began When I Woke Up’
EVELYN: I guess we should start?
EDITH: I guess so.
EVELYN: My name is Princess Evelyn, and I was recently awoken from a sleeping
curse.
EDITH: My name is Princess Edith, and I was recently awoken from a sleeping curse.
By Kaylon Willoughby
A fairytale retelling in a princess support group.
Snow White and Sleeping Beauty meet because their parent’s thought they needed to meet with someone who had gone through similar circumstances. Of course, this takes place after the story we have been told ends. And we think we know how these stories go, but Kaylon Wiloughby takes a different approach. A twisted and bittersweet scene where fairytales don’t always end happily for
everyone. The princes may have been triumphant, but for Edith and Evelyn, not so much. What was really captivating about this piece was the vulnerability of the characters. It’s a simple concept explored in such an interesting way: putting a twist on some well known fairytales. Exploring what happens after the story ends. It might end for us, but it continues for these characters.
Evelyn and Edith are brought together because of similar circumstances. The connection these characters make in such a short amount of time is raw and vulnerable. Exploring this connection on a stage opens up a range of different ways these characters form this connection of vulnerability through the tones used to talk about their experiences. Could they be hesitant? Open? Standoffish? Reluctant? Do they want to be there? Do they want to be anywhere but there?
Lara Morgan, Drama Editor
Photo by Susanne Jutzeler, from Pexels
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It’s simple, but the twist of the fairytales made it an enjoyable read.