General Jinjur is dead…
No. General Jinjur is not only dead, but she was executed. A shadow of mourning hangs over not only our world, but also the world of Oz. After the royal wedding assassination, Queen Ozma has called for a truce between all factions, and will allow us to pay our respects for the dead…and let us meet THE WITCH.
And so begins Chapter 6 of The Speakeasy Society’s Kansas Collection. The show, which has had plenty of twists and turns since the very beginning, is now past its half-way point. With the events of the incredibly intricate Chapter 5: THE VOW, the story returns to a smaller, more intimate story with THE WITCH.
No matter what side you’re on, you are tasked with one thing and one thing only here: to attend the wake of General Jinjur. Lavender Pip, one of the Scarecrow King’s most fiercely loyal subjects, leads the procession. Despite how you may feel about her (as a member of the Patchwork Resistance, I’m not a fan), she doesn’t pull any punches here. Chynna Skye does an excellent job of showcasing Lavender’s barely contained rage, bubbling beneath the surface. She has lost the person that meant the most to her, and while she might be filled with disdain for what REVOLT has done, she is still follows the orders given to her. I really loved this time interacting with her, as I haven’t really in the past, beyond her handing out drinks during the wedding. Seeing two very different sides of her character gave me a better appreciation of the role, and made me anxious to see where her story takes her next.
But the real reason we are all there was to meet the titular character, the (formerly) good witch herself, Glinda. I loved my previous interactions with her, but I felt as if this chapter was the best opportunity to see actress Natalie Fryman truly display her range. As the hardened leader of the REVOLT faction, Fryman’s Glinda is doing her best to hold it all together, despite losing her best solider. She goes from vengeful, to mourning, to panic, to back in control, and back again so many times in this show that it’s unbelievable to see. She absolutely carries this chapter on her shoulders, and I was so impressed with the heavy lifting she did. Kudos to Fryman, and to The Speakeasy Society, for really letting her run the emotional gauntlet, and do it amazingly well.
And of course, it’s always a pleasure to watch Matthew Bamberg-Johnson as Phil Daring, who has come a long, long way since we first met him in Chapter 1. The events of THE VOW really seemed to shake him up, and to see him in such a state, trying to do something for once, was great to see. Now, what “state” he is in is one of the twists and turns here, but trust me when I say the reveal of it is quite spectacular.
The story of The Kansas Collection continues to amaze me, and each chapter brings us deeper and deeper into this world. Every character seems to get their due and time in the spotlight, and I’m so very glad that this one was all about Glinda. These shows aren’t just the stories of whomever they feature, it’s the story of Oz. Of how good and evil are skewed, depending on perspective, how right and wrong changes, how things can look so bad from one perspective, until hope finds a way to shine some light in. This one in particular, I felt had so many reveals and twists, that it kind of blew my mind. There is so much story to digest here, so many things that will change how you look at some of these characters and their motivations. It’s uncanny how well The Speakeasy Society can pack these things in and still have it feel so natural.
THE WITCH is far from the beginning of this story, and we are still a long way from the end. But the story doesn’t drag at all, nor has it ever with these shows. Each one manages to up the stakes more, and THE WITCH is no different. It’s smaller in scale, but somehow, it still felt bigger. From the story aspects, to the set, to the actors themselves, this is another home run for the troupe.
Though the show only runs for a short amount of time, it’s definitely worth grabbing a ticket to. Glinda’s story, and struggles, will break your heart…and then at the end, you’ll feel that hope again, too.
THE WITCH is running September 20, 21, 22 and 26, 27, 29. For more information, and tickets, visit www.speakeasysociety.com/thewitch
Photos courtesy of Model05 Productions.
