Side Show
at Laguna Hills

Reviewed on April 11, 2019

Cameron Newman
San Juan Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Register

Dance with "the devil you know" at Laguna Hills' Side Show
written by Cameron Newman, a junior at San Juan Hills High School

The lights rise on a barren stage, and an unseen mélange lures us with a haunting invitation: "come look at the freaks". Thus begins Laguna Hills' Side Show. Based on real events, Side Show follows Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who work the vaudeville circuit in the 1930's, as they navigate love, loss, and loneliness in the dark underbelly of showbiz.

Gaby Garcia and Darya Ardehali are a perfect pair as defiant Daisy and shrinking Violet. Utterly dissimilar, Garcia is brassy and vivacious, bantering with effortless charm and tossing flirtatious glances like confetti, while Ardehali is pensive and mousy, her hesitant nature evident through nervous stares and cowering body language. Conjoined at the hip, the girls convincingly execute coordinated movements, including vaudeville dance numbers. With every supportive hand-squeeze or exasperated glare, Garcia and Ardehali convey an authentic bond.

Managing the twins is the charismatic but, conflicted Terry (Jacob Tapia). With a winning smile and silver tongue, Terry appears slick and put-together, but his suave facade falls away to reveal frustration and vulnerability in the song "Private Conversation" as he wrestles with his feelings for Daisy. His powerhouse vocal performance is matched only by the raw emotions fueling it.

The other freaks, featuring a bearded lady, human pin cushion, and lizard man steal every scene in which they appear. As an ensemble they capture the pathos of sideshow life with energy and spirit. Idiosyncratic and eccentric, their strange appearances belie collective warmth and camaraderie.

Ethan Hall excels as the cruel, villainous Sir, who owns the sideshow and controls the twins. Leering and wild-eyed, he harshly threatens Daisy and Violet, before comforting them in a spine-chillingly sweet tone. Manipulative and ingratiating, he transforms instantly from amiable to tyrannical with subtle shifts in posture and voice, and his pathetic groveling for forgiveness is squirm-inducing if not redeeming.

Makeup effects by Sofia Rodriguez are innovative, including detailed body tattoos and lizard scales applied with handcrafted latex stamps. Lighting by Chloe Lucas adds depth to each scene: beginning in dreary grayscale, its increasing vibrance mirrors the improving fortune of the Hilton sisters, while the stage becomes saturated in psychedelic pinks and purples during flashbacks and inner dialogue.

With moving tech and acting, Laguna Hills reminds us that though we may sometimes feel like freaks, ultimately we are all human and never truly alone.

Emily Boyer
Mission Viejo
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

"Side Show" at Laguna Hills is a Sight for Sore Eyes
written by Emily Boyer, a senior at Mission Viejo High School

Based on a true story of a pair of conjoined twins in the 1930s, Laguna Hills High School's touching production of "Side Show" takes us on a journey through the struggles of the spotlight for the Hilton sisters who are seen as "freaks," and risk everything to live a life of fame.

Attached at the hip without a hint of separation are the conjoined twins, Daisy (Gaby Garcia) and Violet (Darya Ardehali). Always keeping her chin held high and using her voice assertively, Garcia stuns the audience with her bold, striking confidence as the flirtatious Daisy. Garcia shows the vulnerable and hurt side of Daisy as she discusses the hardships of her past, contrasting her spotlight-ready attitude. Differing from Garcia's Vaudeville-seeking personality is Ardehali as the more introverted, composed Violet. Ardehali gazes at the man she loves with longing eyes, and hides her emotions with a gentle smile, afraid to express how she is truly feeling. The two are concurrent with one another throughout the performance, both physically and vocally, specifically in "Who Will Love Me as I Am?"

Jacob Tapia flawlessly portrays the role of the dignified talent scout, Terry. Tapia glides across the stage with swift movements and a smooth, suave vocal tone, whether he is speaking or singing. Tapia commands the space with beautiful emotion and longing in his song "A Private Conversation," where he showcases both his effortless vocal and dancing abilities.

The ensemble puts on an extravagant performance as they each have individualized mannerisms, but work together beautifully to bring the show to life. Whether they are conversing, singing, or dancing, the ensemble works together to make a lively atmosphere with unfaltering high energy. Particularly notable is Kevin Gramling's performance as Geek, who is consistently hunched over and twiddling his fingers to make him more peculiar.

Makeup, done by Sofia Rodriguez, Joshua Ramos, and Monica Zaki adds specific detail and incredible individuality to each character. The team uses dark makeup to intricately outline the spine of the Lizard Man, making the character more reptile-like and chilling. Additionally, they flawlessly apply facial hair to a variety of characters that holds for the entirety of the show.

Laguna Hills reminds us that we must embrace people for who they really are, and look beyond appearance to love and accept everyone in their moving performance of "Side Show."

Lauren Stevens
Dana Hills (SOCSA)
Submitted for publication to OC Facebook

"Come look at the freaks" at Laguna Hill's "Sideshow"
written by Lauren Stevens, a senior at Dana Hills (SOCSA)

Within the glamorous world of 1930s Vaudeville and show business, there lies the often untold story of Daisy and Violet Hilton, twins attached at the hip both figuratively and literally. Laguna Hills brings to life the story of how these two twins learn to navigate love, criticism, and possibility in a world outside the freak show they've always known.

Staring as the two conjoined twins, Gaby Garcia and Darya Ardehali shine. Gaby Garcia (Daisy Hilton) serves as the unhinged firecracker who looks down upon others with haughty disdain. Although she is the more pessimistic sister, Gaby finds ways to round out her character in hopeful moments like when she finds out she has the possibility of being separated from her twin. Darya (Violet Hilton) brings an honest and raw performance to the stage. Her naive and wide-eyed bliss contrasts the cynicism her sister Daisy has for the world around her. Darya's slightly slouched posture and shy smiles shows how uneasy her character feels in the spotlight. In the song "Buddy Kissed Me", both girls' strong character differences become more apparent as Daisy makes biting remarks about the men in their life denying their feelings for them while Violet beams in awe after the boy she loves kissed her for the first time. Ironically others in the show like to see these two twins as identical in every way, yet Gabby and Darya prove that is not the case for Daisy and Violet.

The ensemble in this production brought eccentric life to the story with incredible versatility. The freaks in this production were multidimensional and unique, from Shea Buchanan's Human Pin Cushion to Kimi Bartel's Dog Boy. Each and every actor brought something new and exciting to the production, like Kaitlyn Glatfelter's belting Fortune Teller with incredible stage presence and vocals. Actors like Kevin Gramling shines not only as the crouched and timid Geek, but as a completely different male dancer with charm and glamour in Vaudeville numbers.

Lighting in this show, designed by Chloe Lukas, beautifully conveys the thoughts and feelings of characters through backlit silhouettes and bright colors. The lighting also works seamlessly with projections, designed by Katie Nickloff, to establish and add depth to many scenes and flashbacks.

Laguna Hills' production of Sideshow is a moving piece of theatre which challenges convictions and shows the power of connection.