Narcissus & Echo

This show blew me away. The direction is crisp and has resulted in a throbbing, exhilarating, transcendent ensemble. They dance and move together as if they've been developing this musical for years rather than a few months. It feels much more polished than your average Fringe show. What's really remarkable is that the entire cast works together so well as an ensemble, but when they get their solo moments they also excel -- you end up loving every character because they're so unique and compelling. The music is fantastic as well -- catchy and fun, it does an excellent job of telling the story and the cast all have wonderful voices. I truly can't imagine having a better experience at Fringe than seeing this show.... full review

This modern adaptation of the Narcissus and Echo myth blends it with current environmental issues surrounding clean and accessible water. Written and directed by Elizabeth Lanier and original music by Ian Michaels and Jetta Juriansz, this crew has created a show that is both humorous and affecting. Echo (played Jetta Juriansz, who displays a gorgeous voice) works as the marketing director for Watair, a synthetic water company owned by Zeus. Hera, Zeus’ wife, owns a rival synthetic water company called Rainsip. Consumed by jealousy, Hera takes away Echo’s voice leaving her only able to repeat what’s said to her. Needless to say, this affects her ability to do her job marketing Watair. She returns to the forest where she meets Narcissus (a ... full review

Simply put, Narcissus and Echo is brilliant. Hilarious, heart-breaking, and thought-provoking, the play manages to not miss a single step from start to finish. Yet despite how fun or funny it may be, it is also, in many ways, a tough play. Lanier’s writing is clear-eyed, unflinching, and honest not just about the nature of the systems that oppress, but the roles that we all play in the propagation of said systems. The play carries with it a certain cynicism, in which people across all points of the “power” spectrum are corrupt in their own way, from the charlatan at the new age medicine store to the CEO damaging lives to protect a profit margin. At times, it even seems to advance the grim suggestion that all of this might be, in many ways, i... full review