Misha Kachman’s bright, expansive set allows the action to swirl back and forth from school to home to inside Caitlin’s mind with ease. Meanwhile, children will likely enjoy and relate to Caitlin’s matter of fact opinions and lack of tact in school and at home.Ĭaitlin’s story unfolds in a brisk sequence of journal-entry monologues – catnip for the social media generation – and revolving group scenes. Ultimately, no matter the perception of the acting, its provenance should insulate it against any complaints of insensitivity from the adults in the room. The performance was commissioned by VSA, a respected arts and disability organization, in coordination with Kennedy Center. That’s the delicate challenge of playing a character with a developmental disorder: getting close enough to reality without offending the real community.
Silver’s performance can sometimes be tough to watch, as she treads a thin line between respectful homage and overdone caricature.
However, after a tragic day, Caitlin must suddenly learn to deal with small questions like playground manners and weighty issues of life and death on her own.ĭylan Silver immerses herself in the difficult role, embracing a blunt tone, jarring emotional swings, and challenging physical tics to drive home the vision of a young girl trying to understand her new world through the prism of her disorder. Previously, her older brother Devon had guided her through the complexities of school, home, and life in general. Caitlin has no verbal filter and is easily unsettled and obsessed by minute issues that others simply ignore. (l-r) Dylan Silver and Gabriela Fernandez-Coffee in Mockingbird (Photo: Scott Suchman)Īs the play begins, we meet our outspoken narrator Caitlin, who is 11 years old and on the autism spectrum. Mockingbird, adapted from the award-winning young adult novel by Kathryn Erskine, stands out from the sometimes-fluffy realm of family theater with a complex emotional journey that should resonate with parents and children alike. The Kennedy Center’s poignant production of Mockingbird explores an autistic girl’s emotional, unique journey through grief and healing in the wake of unspeakable tragedy. Understanding loss can be a tricky business for children, and especially so for those with disabilities.
0 kommentar(er)
