[soundslides width=”620″ height =”503″ id=”391949″]
The German fairytale “The Fisherman and His Wife” floods the Nelke stage at BYU in the Harris Fine Arts Center this week, directed by Nester Bravo Goldsmith. The play is full of storytelling, fantasy and audience participation.
“One of the best parts of this production is that we all love working together as a cast,” said Calli Holcomce, the production stage manager. “The cast has become very close, and we have really enjoyed working with children in this specific show. It is fun to be able to interact more closely with the audience.”
“The Fisherman and His Wife” is a story of a fisherman who encounters a magic flounder that grants him and his wife some wishes. He does not desire the wishes, but his greedy wife does. The fisherman’s wife, Isabel, becomes more greedy with more wishes. The play expresses the moral to be grateful for what a person has and to not always be wanting more.
The play features symbolism, particularly with specific movements and eye-catching costumes that carry deeper meaning.
“This is my first BYU main stage production, but I have been acting my whole life,” said Lizzie Mickelsen, a theatre major who plays the role of Isabel. “One of the reasons that made me so interested in this show is that we were going to be able to tour to different elementary schools. I have had a blast doing this and have met incredible people to share the message of the show with. I have strived to inspire others.”
The play is appealing to both children and adults because of the different themes that are in the show. The children enjoy the fantasy aspect, while the adults can enjoy the underlying themes and symbolism of the production.
“One of the most important themes in the show poses the question of whether what you want this second really is the thing that will be best for you in the long run,” Mickelsen said. “Sometimes the things that will make you the most happy are the things that are right in front of you, and we sometimes can overlook those things.”
“The Fisherman and His Wife” will play Oct. 1–3, and 8–10 at 7:00 p.m., with Saturday matinees on Oct. 11 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. There will also be a children’s school matinee on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 10:00 a.m. and an ASL interpreted performance on Thursday, Oct. 2.
