Seance Sisters - Rebecca Wickert

Spiritualism began in the 19th and early 20th centuries, during which seances and mediums became as trendy as modern concerts and superstars. Everyday citizens craved knowledge of the afterlife and wanted answers to the massive existential questions philosophers grappled with for centuries. The Fox sisters, although not remembered broadly today, were influential through their highly theatrical performances communing with the spirit of a murdered peddler. “Séance Sisters”, created and directed by Rebecca Wickert, written by Marguerite Arbogast, stage managed by Evelyn Kelly, and performed by Hannah May, Mallory Lewis, and Sophia White, transports the audience to this time, taking the audience on a spooky journey where anything could happen.

The performance starts with an eerie air of three sisters dressed entirely in gorgeous period black dresses proclaiming to the audience hyper-presentationally that they shall communicate with the dead. Audience participation – like during a magic show – is spread throughout to keep the audience engaged with the spectacle. However, the audience rarely has a chance to look at their watch or have a passing thought outside of what is happening on stage as the performance’s pacing is locked in like a well-oiled machine.

The trio of actors, supported by technical elements, keep the material fresh while performing it with the tightness expected of professionals. The drama is elevated slowly in a beautifully suspenseful manner, leaving the audience with genuine concern for the characters on stage.

Despite a few technical glitches at the performance I attended, “Séance Sisters” is a gothic experience that should not be missed by any lover of the spooky or the occult.