The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon
at Flint Hill School

Reviewed on November 6, 2015

Kanishk Singh
Langley High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

We all have a favorite fairy tale, a cherished fable that never becomes tiresome. But when considered objectively, fairy tales are flawed stories filled with thickheaded princesses, inexplicable character motivations, and grotesque endings that have been censored to oblivion into tame Disney adaptations. Why do all these princesses with affectations of pure innocence constantly wander into dark forests? How can Red Riding Hood not realize her "grandmother" is a talking wolf? The Little Mermaid dies? In Flint Hill High School's production of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, two quirky hosts present a comedic stage performance of 209 fairytales strung together into one; a bold venture that predictably, and hilariously, results in disaster.

Flint Hill's production benefited from its brisk pace, particularly during the first act. The narrators hosted the show with lively enthusiasm. Additionally, the plentiful array of supporting characters added to the show's gaiety with engaging stereotypes and entertaining gags.

Ekaterina Gaetjens and Pranav Ravikumar, the narrators, lit up the stage with their charisma, particularly during breaks between fairy-tale episodes. Eyes bulging and hands shaking with ecstasy or fury, Pranav would leap into vivacious rants about any conceivable topic that came to mind. Ekaterina, eyes on the clock, constantly had to pull him back to their unfortunate reality: that of a show at hand, a plethora of problematic actors, and a serious catering issue backstage. During the fairy tales themselves, Ekaterina and Pranav remained onstage, engaged and attentive.

The show's supporting actors contributed to the production's effervescent charm. Screechy voiced, mercurial Jack Lovelace brought admirable sassiness to his drag performance as one of Cinderella's stepsisters. Laughter reverberated off the theater's walls as Sydney Baffour, a starving fisher girl, intoned, "Why won't you die?" to an insolent talking fish, portrayed by Victoria Barbessi. Sayeed Akhtar's energetic performance as Lucifer possessed diverse cadences, from stereotypically diabolical to unconventionally kind-hearted in the presence of his senile grandmother (Claire Briggs). Some actors' lines were unintelligible, and a few broke character; however, the performers compensated with laudable bravado throughout the show.

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon radiated with numerous comedic moments and plenty of scenes showcasing the supporting actors' talents. This feast of fairy tales elicited laughter while awakening an ineluctable nostalgia for the stories of our youth, flawed though they may be.

Lydia Gompper
George Mason High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Fairfax

We all know the stories: Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel - the list goes on. Whether we read the original texts, or simply watch the ever-popular Disney adaptations, Grimms' fairy tales are a presence in our lives from the moment we're born. But the Flint Hill School presents a new way of looking at these classic stories; their production of "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon" proposes that every single Grimms' fairy tale is actually connected. In a fast-paced, engaging performance, two narrators and a troop of 24 actors guide the audience through the "complete" story, attempting to combine over 200 tales into a single hilarious piece.

Written by Don Zolidis, a former theater teacher recognized for his comedies aimed at high school students, "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon" is notable for its unique, campy comedic style and its total lack of a fourth wall. The narrators constantly interact with the audience, from encouraging them to produce creepy sound effects and shout "Don't go in there!" to pointing out specific people and chiding them for "not clapping hard enough" or "really needing to pee." A true ensemble production, dozens of fairy tale characters are typically performed by a significantly smaller number of actors, with many actors playing several distinct roles.

The company of the Flint Hill School found admirable success as a tight unit. Although there were certainly standout performers, the show's strength lay in its cohesiveness, with every actor doing his or her best to support the satirical, faux-melodramatic tone of the play. Even many cast members with relatively little stage time were clearly devoted to their roles and to the show. While there were occasional lapses in energy, the show generally maintained a very quick, lively pace, particularly in the first act.

The roles of the two narrators, performed by Ekaterina Gaetjens and Pranav Ravikumar, were clearly the backbone of the production. A constant presence throughout the show, the pair played well both as a single unit and as individual performers. Ravikumar projected a dorky, loudly enthusiastic persona with unwavering animation and an odd charisma, capturing the audience from his very first line. While Gaetjens's character was more subtle, she too had an underlying layer of oddity. She was able to maneuver easily between her role as the more mature of the partnership and her stranger, more comedic moments, such as when she briefly stood in as one of the seven dwarves. The narrators' easy banter with each other and with the audience kept the show sparkling even during its comparatively slow bits.

Several actors also made excellent, lasting impressions in their roles as fairy tale characters. Brandon Lessard was brilliant in several roles, maneuvering phenomenally between them and making very distinct, strong choices for each individual character. His work as the Frog Prince was especially notable, charming the audience with a try-hard flirtatiousness and his bouncy self. Margaret Hudak was an instant favorite as Rapunzel, giving the classic princess the bratty nature of a teenager. Several performers also stood out for their strong comedic performances, such as Sydney Baffour as Fisher Girl, whose reaction upon coming face-to-face with a talking fish was beautifully, hilariously realistic; and John "Jack" Lovelace as both the frog princess's father (The King) and Cinderella's stepsister. The King's monologue about his younger days as a sad, girlfriend-less geek had the audience in stitches.

The Flint Hill School has created a highly enjoyable, genuinely hysterical production of "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon." With a widely talented cast and an almost tangible enthusiasm, it was true joy from start to finish.

Jack Posey
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Fairfax

If you need a fairy tale fix, look no further than the Flint Hill School's production of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon by Don Zolidis for two hours of fantasy fun for the whole family.

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, published in 2007, strings together beloved fairy tales, such as Rapunzel and The Frog Prince, along with more obscure stories, such as "The Devil's Grandmother," in a free form, repertory-style comedy. Actors wore simple, base-layer costumes (billowy shirts, dark pants, and sneakers for men, and plain shirts, skirts, and sneakers for women) and often alternated between characters using hats, masks, props, and makeup changes. The simple set consisted of a central tower flanked on either side by short platforms adorned with medieval-brick-castle-style dressings, and silent actors in stylized positions functioned as additional set pieces, such as doors and cages.

Ekaterina Gaetjens and Pranav Ravikumar started the show off at a lively pace as Narrators 1 and 2. Their enthusiastic energy and spirited banter made for many kooky and humorously awkward moments. Henry Jeanneret and scene partner Lily Rice hilariously skewered the melodrama of after-school specials in a witty rehashing of Hansel and Gretel, with deliberate exaggeration of the classic "peer pressure" narrative. Similarly, Margaret Hudak played up the archetype of a sassy, ditzy teenaged girl to great success as Rapunzel, drawing many laughs from the audience with snappy jabs at her elders. Brandon Lessard gave a rollicking performance as the Frog Prince, with his grand stage presence and commitment to his Kermit-like voice and frog physicality drawing the audience into the twists and turns of his story.

Jack Lovelace brought huge laughs as a scolding father of a King and a feather boa and wig donning evil Stepsister, the latter role entailing a harsh voice and spoiled-brat attitude that stole his scene. Sayeed Akhtar charmed the audience as droll Devil, often breaking the fourth wall with clever and amusing lines. Nicholas Skotzko kept up the energy of the show with a clear voice and strong diction as a macho Prince and Woodcutter. Finally, Sydney Baffour was a scene-stealer as an exasperated, no-nonsense Fishergirl attempting to reel in a fish to save her starving town. Her exclamations during a struggle to take out a large fish she landed had the audience in stitches.

The players at Flint Hill gave fractured fairytales an energized twist in their production of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon.

Gloria Whitfield
Paul VI Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to Insidenova - Sun Gazette

Who would've thought that all of the well known and loved fairytales have been told wrong all these years? Thanks to Flint Hill High School and their spectacular rendition of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, the Grimm Brothers' original stories were finally told correctly. The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon was written by Don Zolidis and puts a modern twist on Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's fairytales; told by two narrators and an acting company which attempts to combine all of the fairytales into one huge fable with one huge family tree.

Bounding onto the stage comes the two narrators, Ekaterina Gaetjens and Pranav Ravikumar. Their high energy and enthusiasm sets the pace and the first act starts out very strong. Flint Hill's cast of The Brothers Grimm incorporated the audience by bravely breaking the fourth wall and calling out certain audience members. This is never easily done, but Flint Hill was able to pull it off with expertise and appropriate timing.

Gaetjens and Ravikumar stayed engaged throughout the whole performance, reacting to the action on stage as well as reacting to the audience. Their little side quarrels enriched the story line and added comedy during the slower moments. Ravikumar and Gaetjens played off of each other with good familiarity, making their arguments all the more realistic. Another notable actor from the play was Brandon Lessard. Lessard played the Frog Prince, aka Dwarf 1, aka Mac, with consistent gusto. Whether he was begging the princess for a kiss, or changing the whole plot of Snow White, Lessard sent the audience into peals of laughter. Keeping his characters different and distinct, Lessard stole whatever scene he was in. The story line wouldn't have been complete without the feminist Enchantress, played by Elena Morely. Morely's hilarious and spontaneous feminist rants were entertaining and cracked the audience up every time. She kept the ball rolling throughout all of her scenes, and was an asset to the cast.

While she was only in one scene the Fisher girl, performed by the talented Sydney Baffour, was no doubt the most comical character. Baffour's delivery was hysterical and received the most laughs in the play. She gave a much needed break from the sassiness the princesses. Baffour proved that no part is too small. Another talented actor was Henry Jeanneret. Jeanneret's performance of a drug addicted Hansel was top-notch. Jeanneret made fun of peer pressure in a way that was funny, but not inappropriate. Jeanneret hit the ball out of the park and stole his story. While the cast received many laughs, some actors did not allow enough time for laughter. This resulted in their next couple lines unheard by the audience. Flint Hill started out the first act with high energy, however by the second act, the enthusiasm slowed down a bit. It was picked up by some of the consistently energetic actors like Lessard and Sayeed Akhtar, who played the Devil.

Flint Hill's production of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon engaged the audience and kept the laughter rolling throughout, and there weren't even any crab people!