Capital Fringe review: Hatpin Panic

The dialogue fairly skips along as playwright Dautman is equally comfortable with the formal cadences of the 1890s and today’s twentysomethings. Though the subject is at times somber one, there’s a good deal of humor scattered throughout, and not a whit of the strident sermonizing one might fear to associate with a play having womens’ rights as its subject.

There are a dizzying assemblage of characters: a quintet of 1890s suffragettes, a hatshop girl of the 1920s, an Irish woman whose abuse at the hands of her husband is all too familiar, two modern women navigating today’s dating terrain, a pair of vaudeville comedians, and even, yes, a few men. All are portrayed by an adept cast of just five chameleons: Karen Lange, Jennifer Osborn, Sarah Gavitt, Pooja Chwala, and Alana Sharp. Some characters sizzle more than others, and character names become blurred, yet the script has a constant voice that never lets your attention wander.

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It’s startlingly well produced, for one thing- sadly, Fringe shows often confuse “simple” with “grab whatever’s around”- but the production team uses the limited space at Arena’s Strawberry Room with ease and confidence. Well thought out costumes (Kiana Vincenty) give the silhouette of the 1890s without constricting the actors’ movements; the set by Willow Watson gives the cast ample levels in a difficult space, and the lighting by Jason Aufdem-Brinke is much more than mere illumination. And the music and sound by Sound Designer Tosin Olufalabi is a real highlight, with some historic pieces intermixed with modern work you might not have heard before- just like the script itself.

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Hatpin Panic closes July 20, 2019. Details and tickets

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Hatpin Panic, in its short 75 minutes, shows us that the past and the present eventually meet- and in many respects are still distressingly similar.

Note to Festival Goers: Be sure to doublecheck showtimes- though my E-Ticket stated the show started at 6:15, actual showtime was 6pm. However, at this performance so many folks came armed with 6:15 E Tickets that they held the show until then- an uncommon occurrence. Remember, shows will start on time at Fringe, with no late seating, so be sure to show up early!