Review: Brindlewood

Review: Brindlewood | Third Side Theatre | Aurora, CO | Curtain Up | Gina Robertson

There is something wonderfully old-fashioned about being transported by a story with little more than a handful of performers, a few beautifully crafted puppets, live music, and a willingness to let the audience’s imagination do some of the work. That is the magic of Brindlewood, the world premiere from Third Side Theatre Company at the People’s Building. This charming and atmospheric new musical takes audiences deep into a dark, ancient forest, where innocence, danger, memory, and self-discovery intertwine.

Written by Ryan Glaser and directed by Andy Seracuse, Brindlewood follows Elara, a young girl who ventures into the woods after being sent to fetch water before dusk. She does so after being warned most profusely by her mother not to go there and after her stepfather John has disappeared in the woods. The allure of yellow flowers is too much for her, and off she goes on her adventure.

What begins as a simple journey home gradually becomes something more mysterious as she encounters the strange and sometimes threatening creatures of the forest. The story has the familiar shape of a fairy tale, but the production gives it a distinctive theatrical personality of its own.

Photo Credit: Kellie and Matt Fox

Alex Seracuse is Elara, the brave, disobedient girl who gets lost and interacts with all the other characters. Her performance is strong, conveying innocence and youth in transformation to adulthood with the dawning of wariness and self-preservation in a strange place where others may not be what they appear. Her mother is played by Leann Ritter, a delightfully witchy woman with a mysterious past and a tremendous load of responsibility to keep her family safe.

Leann Ritter; Photo Credit: Kellie and Matt Fox

Kayla Curneen is Elara’s sister, of whom we are given the briefest glimpse before she goes off to bed, not to be particularly relevant to the story. This is unfortunate, as sister relationships are always interesting to develop on stage, and Curneen has a sweet dynamic and beautiful harmonies with Seracuse. Curneen has the opportunity to shine as a puppeteer in later scenes and as the willow who sings and speaks to Elara of her forgotten past.

John the stepfather is played by Brian Dowling. He, too, disappears early in the story, but Dowling comes back in a memorable performance as a dancing fox and then again as a bear with a very important relationship to Elara and her family. Dowling’s playful performance is fun to watch. He’s having a great time, and what he does with his hips is worth the price of admission to see.

Brian Dowling; Photo Credit: Kellie and Matt Fox

The largest, most elaborate puppet to appear is the owl, played by Jeremiah Martinez. His transformation from amusing riddler to menacing predator is terrifying. He displays a regal bearing and a beautiful pair of wings.

Puppetry is one of the production’s greatest strengths. The well-crafted woodland creatures are not just props, they’re essential characters, each possessing a distinct personality and presence. The puppeteers demonstrate impressive precision and imagination, creating the illusion that these creatures have their own lives, instincts, and agendas.

The puppetry also captures something essential about fairy tales: they can be beautiful and playful one moment and surprisingly unsettling the next. The forest in Brindlewood is enchanting, but it is never entirely safe. That tension gives the production much of its appeal. The audience is invited to marvel at the creatures while wondering whether they can be trusted.

There is a lovely physicality to the performances, particularly in the way the actors interact with the puppets and with one another. Rather than trying to make the theatrical mechanics disappear, Brindlewood celebrates them, making the experience feel intimate, handmade, and wonderfully immediate. Director Andy Seracuse notes that surrounding the stage with the audience was an artistic choice to bring the viewers closer to the magic. “When a puppeteer takes something inanimate and gives it life, we see something that shouldn’t make sense. And yet, somehow it does. That’s why it was so important to me for the audience to be able to see the puppeteers. I want you to see the magic trick and believe it anyway.”

A live band of folk instruments adds another layer of atmosphere. Folk-inspired melodies and rhythmic storytelling help create the ethereal sensation of entering a place that exists somewhere between a bedtime story and a nightmare. Elara’s journey is ultimately about growing up, confronting fear, and figuring out who she is when the familiar world suddenly becomes uncertain.

What makes Brindlewood particularly enjoyable is its confidence in the audience. It doesn’t need anything elaborate or expensive to create a world. Instead, puppets, costumes, song, and shadows tell the story. That approach is very much in keeping with Third Side Theatre Company’s identity as a collaborative company devoted to creating unconventional theater from scratch.

If you enjoy theater that is imaginative, inventive, and a little bit magical, Brindlewood is well worth seeking out. Come for the puppets, stay for the performances, and let yourself be carried into the woods. You may come expecting a charming fairy tale, but you are likely to leave with a reminder of just how powerful a few talented performers and a little imagination can be.

For information and tickets: https://www.thepeoplesbuilding.com/brindlewood