The Merkin Sisters
Daughters of the now-defunct Merkin Empire leave the house for the first time in a decade to present their Ultimate Piece of Art. Think Olsen Twins + Grey Gardens + The Muppets.
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6:30 pm The Merkin Sisters
See https://theatreinlondon.ca/2017/06/the-merkin-sisters/ for details.
Location: Good Foundation Theatre
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6:30 pm
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1:30 pm The Merkin Sisters
See https://theatreinlondon.ca/2017/06/the-merkin-sisters/ for details.
Location: Good Foundation Theatre
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4:30 pm The Merkin Sisters
See https://theatreinlondon.ca/2017/06/the-merkin-sisters/ for details.
Location: Good Foundation Theatre
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4:30 pm
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5:00 pm The Merkin Sisters
See https://theatreinlondon.ca/2017/06/the-merkin-sisters/ for details.
Location: Good Foundation Theatre
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8:30 pm The Merkin Sisters
See https://theatreinlondon.ca/2017/06/the-merkin-sisters/ for details.
Location: Good Foundation Theatre
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8:30 pm
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6:30 pm The Merkin Sisters
See https://theatreinlondon.ca/2017/06/the-merkin-sisters/ for details.
Location: Good Foundation Theatre
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6:30 pm
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“Fun. Wild. Absurd. This is how the Merkin sister’s describe their act, and their preview confirmed it. Dressed in black, the sisters performed a dance routine, swapping out their own limbs for miniature puppet bodies. Yes, you heard that right. TOP TEN SHOW TO SEE“
“Warning. The Merkin Sisters are crazy. Beyond vintage Lucy and Ethel in the candy-factory crazy. They are well into “Oh dear Lord, now what” territory.
The characters inhabited by Stephanie Morin-Robert and Ingrid Hansen are sisters who know every nuance of sibling rivalry. In a show that goes where few, if any, shows have gone before, their skits swing from superbly graceful to absolutely bizarre. They fight about who might be a better mother. Who has the biggest mouth? Who has to be the singing (CENSORED) in their duet?
“The Merkin Sisters” combines remarkable athleticism and truly original ideas. Who knew that mopping floors and eating crackers could be so funny? Their teamwork is superb, and their approach to comedy is… well… I did warn you that they are crazy.
The Fringe Factor: This is a show that simply defies categories: It’s a dance party with pantomime, puppetry, funny noises, outrageous wigs and excursions into the audience. Audience members, by the way, are expected to provide the necessary sound effects for several of the scenarios, so come prepared.
Curtain Call: Some of “The Merkin Sisters” is sheer silliness. Some of it is delightfully tawdry. All of it is entertaining. After an hour with these wild, wild women, I hated to see the show end. What is their next adventure? Can we come along?” – ORLANDO, FL
“The Merkin Sisters — I adore physical comedy and the bushy buffoonery of these bewigged, burgundy beauties does not disappoint. Strangely transfixing. Like Cousin It reveals itself to be a burlesque dancer. But there’s two of it. Top notch comedy. Go see.”
The Merkin Sisters–what is is that they do? Even they don’t know. But they can take you on an hour-long ride that will leave you on the edge of your seat for more than an hour, enjoying every minute of their absurd creations and competitions. The show feels as if they are making it up as they go along, but they are such skilled dancers and movement artists that they keep surprising the audience with their next beautifully choreographed visual trick. Their creative stagecraft feels like they are clowning around, but only as the most skillful clowns do, amazing and amusing us at the same time. My favourite show of the Fringe so far!
At one point during the performance The Merkin sisters- Ingrid Hansen and Stephanie Morin-Robert- tell us that “Some people ask us why we do what we do”. And then they add, “Some people ask us what it is that we do”. This rare bit of dialogue captures well the difficulty of describing this enthralling show. To say that it consists of a series of zany bits of physical comedy- while accurate- does not come close to doing justice to the creativity, intelligence and, most of all, to the subversive quality of the piece. The comedy is brilliant and hilarious- from the puppet dance to the Maternity Challenge- but it also consistently, like all good comedy, challenges our conventions and taboos. It refuses to be bound by them; instead, it turns them upside down, shakes out the assumptions and then bats them about like tiny hairballs. Scenes of motherhood, masturbation and mayhem are assembled into a show that surprises us at every turn and yet, at the same time, achieves a remarkable coherence. This is not just a great Fringe show- and it is certainly that- but a wonderful and inspiring work of creativity and imagination. Go see it.
The Merkin Sisters is, indeed, as weird as you’ve heard. These strange vignettes and movement pieces come together to muse on sibling rivalry, femininity, artistic expression and general absurdity in a way that’s not always accessible. Despite an audience consistently in stitches while hairballs danced and vaginas sang, some moments seemed cobbled together in a “wouldn’t it be weird if” way that, albeit imaginative, didn’t really strike at the heart of anything in particular. The Merkin Sisters are obviously talented and the show is definitely something different…it just might not be for everyone.
The Merkin Sisters — A Beautifully Absurd Example of What Fringe Can Be
Absurd? Surreal? Avante Garde? Ingrid Hansen and Stephanie Morin-Robert’s The Merkin Sisters truly defies classification — other than to say it’s a perfect example of what Fringe theatre is at its best, and it’s a must-see on this year’s London Fringe circuit.
That said, make sure you bring two things with you when you see this show: an open mind and a sense of playfulness. The two women go to any and all lengths to deliver an uproariously funny and quirky show that’s part variety, part dance, part comedy, and all entertainment.
If a Salvador Dali painting came to life on a Fringe stage, it would be the Merkin sisters.
The best part of the Merkin Sisters is that it’s not absurd just for the sake of absurdity — there’s a meaning behind every moment. Though it’s presented in a way that suggest random chance, both women clearly have refined this show and act (and react) with absolute precision.
And there are subtle underlying messages that cut through the quirk. For those of us who abhor pretentious artists — you know, the ones who say the work art in verbal italics — The Merkin Sisters cleverly satirizes those pretensions. Contemporary dance and spoken word, in particular, were presented with a wink and a smile.
The show, as a whole, presents the idea that art doesn’t have to be stuffy or rigid. There’s a beauty in the absurd, fun isn’t frivolous, and creativity and joy have as much place on stage as any other discipline.
It’s a must-see show with so many memorable moments and visuals. The women are wonderful performers who have an incredible range of skills. You’ll walk away smiling, laughing, and never able to listen to Seal’s Kiss from a Rose the same way again!
Watching The Merkin Sisters is like taking a glimpse inside a pre-pubescent girl’s brain when they’re left to their own devices — a world of imagination, frivolity, and just plain goofy experimentation and play.
I remember making up strange games with my best friend when we went on summer vacation. Alone in the woods, you start to explore new reaches of your imagination, making up songs — or even secret languages — and acting out little skits and creating characters for your own amusement.
That’s what it felt for me watching the two strange sisters act out this outlandish variety show. I think it’s safe to say that only at Fringe will you find a plain pink knitted sweater repurposed as a giant reproductive organ. Or a human-sized hairball giving birth to new — and sometimes cannibalistic — baby hairballs.
Ingrid Hansen and Stephanie Morin-Robert are so much fun to watch. Though the show is presented as being filled with quirky randomness, their movements throughout are perfect and precise. Whether it’s over-elaborately fixing their bathing suits to performing beautifully choreographed, in-sync dances, there is a lot of skill and precise timing in this show.
There are moments that you may find graphic, or just plain strange, but that’s the charm of this show. It turns subjects like sexuality and absurdity into a new and entertaining form or normal.
The Merkin Sisters is not going to be a show for everyone. However, I think that most people, if they go into the show ready to play, have fun, and be entertained, will be thrilled with the production.