FringeNYC 2013: A Fallopian Fairy Tale

Review by Josephine Cashman · August 10, 2013

In Fact and in Fiction, girls grow up.  Bodies change, hormones race, and fairy tales and princesses are a way to make it more palatable.  Marisa Marquez fairly points out that sanitized fairy tales discourage girls from growing into a powerful and unique self. Marisa pitches a story for girls that will take the Pink, Fluffy, Disney-ification out of Princesses and put the Bold and Spirited Pussy back in.  Marisa’s one-woman show tells two intertwining tales; one is her strict, catholic, Pilipino upbringing.  The other is a grittier fairy tale version.

Marisa’s parents are strict, very religious, and sex is only discussed when talking about Mary’s eternal virginity.  Marisa goes to a Catholic university where the university employed GYN doctor tells her the only way she can procure birth control pills is to claim that she has cramps.   After a moment of silent communication, they both agree she has cramps.  Even when Marisa is 30 years old, her parents cling to the belief that she is still chaste and pure, not unlike the Disney princesses, or Jesus. 

Then there is The Scarlet Princess; the heroine of a fairy tale Marisa believes will be a more honest tale of the experiences of young women and girls today.  The Scarlet Princess (you have to see the show to fully appreciate how she gets her moniker) has a mother without a voice, and a father, the King who wants to keep her in the castle forever.  Instead of a fairy godmother and helpful talking animals, Marisa gets a Fairy Gyno-mother who speaks with a distinct Jewish accent.  This Gyno godmother gives her the practical advice that her royal family will not or cannot give and she encourages her to see the world.

The Princess has lots of adventures such as the good-looking romantic prince of the night becomes an ugly, lecherous hermit in the morning.  Meanwhile back in Marisa’s realm, she contracts a strain of the HPV virus that causes cancer.  Despite all the challenges, both Marisa and the Scarlett Princess explore brave new worlds: the good the bad, the hilarious, and the sad.

Marisa does a great job juggling all of her characters (her send up of both the Fairy Gyno Mother and her mother are terrific).  Marisa truly portrays the uncertainty and confusion of a girl’s growth into womanhood, especially when others would prefer she simply “flower” instead.

Both Melissa Singson (stage manager) and Calvin O. Anderson (Lighting Design and Operation) do a great job in the small space, adeptly handling the slide show transitions in an inventive and simple way.  I think it’s effective.  The fairy tale princess is revealed to be two dimensional, fragile and passive, whereas the more truthful and emotionally authentic experience is richly three-dimensional.

It is truly satisfying to see both the Scarlett Princess and Marisa develop into the kind of gutsy princesses that the world needs more of.