Just when I thought I’d seen every take on Rumpelstiltskin, Andrew Sawyer’s experimental theatre company, Becoming Theater, flips the fairy tale inside out without touching Disney. In Kin, the story shifts from the imp to Rapunzel (Lauren Steinmann). The title hints at his involvement, but placing her at the centre immediately signals something unusual, and raises the question: why are these two characters sharing the same story?
That twist can feel disorienting, but it makes for an engaging reinterpretation. And it’s the type of show that’s appropriate to test out in the world of Fringe Theatre. Also, I’m fairly sure the Brothers Grimm never explicitly identified the Queen’s daughter as Rapunzel, so this fresh angle works. And when the Fringe is often the home for many new takes on their content, I knew I had to check this show out!
At its core, the production explores identity and the search for belonging—the foundation for this imaginative mashup. Acting as the chorus are the faebaebae (Pollen Conway and Samsara Grace). Opposing them is the Fairy King, played with prowling mischief by Anton Sokalski. He’s part trickster, part menace, and very much in the spirit of Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I suspect this creature represents Rumpelstiltskin, though the play avoids the name.
After Rapunzel falls from the castle and loses her hair, his voice tempts her with the thought of taking it. Soon after, she forgets who she is. The fairy-tale folk she encounters have an Alice in Wonderland edge: some are kind, others sinister, each with their own agenda.
Sokalski, often bare-chested, nearly steals the show—and yes, I admit I swooned. The music is equally compelling, shifting from scat to swing to tribal rhythms. Each style highlights a character’s motives and deepens the theme of identity. And most of the tunes are quite catchy too! Audience members even receive booklets with lyrics, a rare treat for Fringe, and reading mine afterwards revealed how much care went into giving each character a roadmap for why they exist.
Rapunzel’s search for belonging, complicated by elemental forces, raises questions about what’s truly “evil.” Is it inherently wrong, or simply nature balancing the scales? The production ties these questions to the natural world and the cosmos, showing how a name can hold the power to create—or destroy.
Becoming Theater’s mission statement makes sense of why Kin feels so distinct. They write: “Our work is inspired by the Sanskrit word Lila, meaning ‘divine play’; creation, instead of being an objective for achieving any purpose, is rather an outcome of the playful nature of the divine.” This belief shines through. With its echoes of Classical Greek drama, Kin feels less like a fairy-tale remix and more like a living myth, guided by the faebaebae, who serve not only as angelic presences but also as the conscience of the play—a standout Fringe theatre review experience.
3½ Stars out of 5