The Resilient Child

Cool job

I was excited to see this and it did not disappoint. An interesting array of stories, the children were sweet and brave and it all felt very authentic.

Vulnerable and Introspective

You can feel the truth in this performance, both as a viewer to someone else's stories, and connecting truth to your own. The cast all had a substantial "solo" contribution to an ensemble show.

Quality Touching Stories

I'm generally a fan of personal storytelling, so this was in my wheelhouse. The youths played a smaller part than I was expecting, but it was no less moving for that. I recommend this show, particularly for parents.

Vulnerable and touching

This is a collection of personal stories told by three sparkly kids and four compelling grown ups. It covers how hard it is to be a kid, to be a parent, to be a caretaker, to lose a parent - and how to move through it and carry it with you. It was heartfelt and heartwarming.

Left disappointed

I had higher hopes for the show. I wished the kids had been more of the show, it was about being a resilient child right? And unless I missed something, I felt it was disjointed as to why everyone felt like there was a link to one another *except* the one who spoke the most, was obviously most comfortable, and felt like he was doing a show separate from the rest. Beyond that the execution by the adults felt shaky and it could have used a few more rehearsals to polish it up.

Fiona is a Star

My favorite moment was when Fiona looked around for her spike tape marker. It was an adorable moment of childhood wholesomeness. Each of the stories were really good. One made me tear up, one made me think about privilege, but I think they all made me chuckle at some point. The stories are touching and thoughtful. I especially enjoyed Denzel's.

I loved this show!

Gutsy, transparent stories told about the actors real lives and how they became resillient. A warm and cozy song at the beginning set the mood for the show. Wonderful, gutsy stories. I absolutely loved this!

A great vision, but a shaky execution.

This review is for show #2. In one sentence: although a bit of a rocky start and an overall performance format that felt hard to engage with at times, this collection of diary-like monologues stand as touching, powerful testaments about finding resilience in difficult situations. In three sentences: if you're in a place in life where you're struggling to get through something, this show will be medicine for your mind. At times I felt uncomfortable . . . maybe because some of the cast looked and sounded like they were forced into this deeply personal project, while others seemed like the project's drivers whose content seemed to land on steady footing most of the time. The choice is yours whether you do or don't see this one, as it's for some but not for others.

children are tough

i was caught off guard, had myself a good cry, that just speaks to how touching this show is. i loved the stories flipping back and forth between the kids and adults. beautiful performances!

Resilience is a Difficult Word

Resilience is a difficult word for me, especially when used in connection with children. Strong or bounce back don’t hit the mark either. I most identified with Katie, who said that sometimes you can’t go back to a before that no longer exists. The questioned, “How are you resilient?” when asked of the children in the cast seemed forced to me, maybe not the right word at this time in their lives. Do we as adults want to believe with all our hearts that children are resilient instead of just letting them be vulnerable kids? I wanted to hear more about the missed cat or being bullied, not how they got through it. Yes, maybe the adults were resilient children, when younger and even still. We can hope for the children, but is it too soon to tell or even ask?

Beautiful Work!

I thought this production was exactly what it needed to be: simple, storytelling, and vulnerable. In particular, something I really appreciated was Amber's kindness & care in nudging the kids in the right direction. The kids didn't seem to be actors, but I quite honestly didn't mind. It was very vulnerable, and they got to talk about what made them resilient. Maybe it's the baby fever in me, but I loved seeing them have the courage to go up and talk about their struggles. The adult performers were phenomenal as well. It felt very raw, very real. I felt able to deeply connect with all of them, and made for a really memorable, beautiful experience filled with love and care. Tugged at my heartstrings

Heartwarming

Great seeing the telling of narratives across all age ranges. Lovely show at what felt like just the right amount of runtime.

Kids rule!

Some really touching and heartfelt storytelling in this show! I loved the inclusion of kids in the show. Although the performances were varied, I give the cast credit for brave and resilient performances

Resilient encapsulates the work

This show is exactly what it needs to be. It's truthful, vulnerable, and probably the closest you can get to the truth. The first example of this is children entering the space at the top of the show. As we move past the opening moment, each performing center stage, at a big venue, reading stories that are authentic to them. The elegance of guidance among the adult actors blends perfectly with the contribution from the children as well. The adult actors also have (or what feels like) a clear history of storytelling skill sets that bring you into this show immediately. Never a dull moment. The balance was found in where the button to this show is, and leaves you feeling like you had a substantial story from everyone in the ensemble. Including the guitar player who introduces the story with the kiddos in a way that is unique to how the other actors bring their stories to the performance. The larger venue, with a performance like this, confidently makes the space intimate. All actors are on stage for the entire performance, observing the performance of one another with the audience. It gives the space an "in the round" feel with them sitting back. There are also duet style, and ensemble moments to bring more layers to a one-by-one storytelling piece. The spectacle is created with a "poor theatre" style setup, where actors are the focus, even when not performing. Brilliant idea for Fringe, and could see this work being expanded further.