Edinburgh Fringe 2025
Big Little Sister
Holly Gifford
Genre: Dark Comedy, Devised, Solo Show, Theatre
Venue: Zoo Playground
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Searingly honest, this creatively harnesses the feelings of little sister and mark the presence of big brother. There is a minimalist set, helped with a voiceover from her brother’s communication aid as well as projection, which is cartoon based, Gifford playing her mother and father and an interview with Patrick, her brother.
Review
Beginning with a straightforward narrative approach which starts with mum, dad, Patrick’s birth, marital challenges, Holly’s birth we are then taken though significant events in her life which include Patrick. With years projected and interjections onscreen this has a homegrown charm but needs a stronger hand at the helm. It is good to see something that is not designed to be “inspirational” but very real.
This was a very open and honest exploration and exposition of what having Patrick in her life meant. As a naughty sister growing up, I liked how Gifford had tales of the relationship being one of childhood experiences including the lemons and poo as trivial examples of this emotional journey. There were, however, various gaps, and it wasn’t until later that Patrick having a procedure medically in Holland made some sense, as Holly is three-quarters English and one-quarter Dutch.
Knowing a number of glass children I was interested to see how growing up alongside a disabled sibling would be handled. The narrative works well but has a meandering quality that needs a stronger structure. Taking anyone’s life and suggesting it should be reordered to tell that tale sounds exceptionally opinionated, however the reality of having a difficult life, is that life is difficult. The mixed emotions that any child can have when being asked to care about a sibling who is different are complex. To portray that onstage and not end up being indulgent is tough. Gifford avoids falling=into the pitfall of this being overly indulgent, however, it needs to have a stronger focus to be more effective.
It worked where it became real. Like with the social worker who found out that Patrick had cerebral palsy, decided he should not be defined by being deafblind, though he is, which is something I am very well aware happens on a regular basis.
When we got to meet Patrick on the screen, it was interesting, in many different ways, and what I liked particularly was that afterwards she came out with a face like thunder rather than some kind of overly saccharine sympathy – it may have been acted but it had a genuine quality to it. I didn’t think the opening, from the birth and the cartoons and the physicality on stage worked so well. But once it got into the questions towards the end, that’s when I really felt it found its own feet. That was the point that Holly, instead of trying to perform it, was just giving honest answers. And it was there that I felt that the barrier in the small arena between audience and performer was completely shattered. Ironically, that glass barrier had gone.
Technically, there was plenty to commend it in terms of the use of the projection, however, mum and dad, played and recorded by Holly was less polished than just telling the tale could have been. It was using technical prowess when it might have been more of a hindrance than a help.
This had a very worthy and different take on disability, which I think is hugely valuable. Often, I think that people become hog-tied to the idea that a theatre piece or television drama represent the entire disability, or the entire community when in actual fact all communities have shades of opinion and experiences. Here we got an overview which adds to the understanding of everybody who took the time and effort to come and see it; this is one element of which we could do with more, not less.
