Samo Theatre brings "Sideshow" to life

Samo’s production of “Sideshow” by Bill Russell ran for two weeks, and was a huge success. The cast was clearly very involved and talented, and the production brought it all together in a truly wonderful show. The musical follows a pair of siamese twins: Daisy (Sophie Golay (’19)) and Violet (Dilay Akcora (’19)). Their journey begins at the sideshow, where their abusive “father” exploits their abnormality for profit. Their lives change when two Hollywood men arrive and promise the girls freedom and riches, setting in motion their new life of travel and fame.The students put on an amazing show. Each one had put in hours upon hours perfecting their lines and their performances, and they clearly cared about the musical. Golay and Akcora lit up the stage with their banter and singing, and the supporting actors each played an important and well-executed role in the production. The story allowed for many primary roles, and each student that was given the spotlight performed excellently. The sideshow manager, the siamese twins, the freaks and the hollywood executives each put on a great show.One of the most impressive factors of the production was the makeup and the costumes. Each freak had a particular quirk that made them interesting, and the makeup and costumes did an excellent job portraying them. Many students had intricate body art, like the “Tattoo Girl,” played by Karly Kato Bang (’21), who sported intricate roses along her arms and legs. Some had specialized costumes as well, like a half-dress half-suit and a three-legged costume.As with any production, there were a few hangups. The students sang and performed amazingly, but the songs themselves were not as captivating as in years passed. Many of the songs were not nearly as catchy or fun as they could have been, especially compared to last year’s production of the boisterous “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Additionally, there were a few technical difficulties. A performer’s microphone was off for the entire first act, making her solos too quiet to hear. Beyond that, however, the show was a huge success.Samo’s theatre department put on a great show this semester. It was far different from shows in the past, this one being less well known, more underground. But its novelty made it all the more entertaining, with a gritty, unfamiliar setting that has lots of potential for entertainment. Everyone performed great, and I can only wait to see how they will top it next year.