“The Factual and Interesting Story of the Woman Behind Seattle”
Kate Danley presents her passion project, a deep dive into Lou Graham, a prominent figure in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s who is a vital part of the building of the Seattle we know today.
This show is a piece of storytelling more than a piece of theatre. Danley walks us through the more known years of Madame Lou’s life before deep diving into her research to find out where she had come from, and unearth a forgotten piece of history. The story highlights Graham’s involvement in rebuilding Seattle after the great fire, and how she managed to quietly create an empire and control a good amount of political sway. It is a fascinating story and one that is told well.
Danley is a good storyteller, one who is passionate and a big presence on the stage. It is her undying enthusiasm that makes the show so enjoyable. She is an expert in the study of Lou Graham and desperately wants to ensure she is celebrated. On top of this, she tells us about her journey of discovery, adding in the inaccuracies of the past to further illustrate her point that Graham is an uncelebrated powerhouse of Seattle history. It is clear from this show just how impressive a woman Graham was, and how much influence she had on so many lives.
The show suffers a little from being heavy on the information. There is so much to tell and Danley does admirably in telling us as much as is humanly possible, but this also acts to her disadvantage. There are points where the information is almost too much, and you struggle to retain as much as you would like. The show also needs to move away from the idea of theatre and cement itself as a storytelling show. Embracing the form it takes will enhance the effectiveness of the piece.
Don’t be put off however, this is a show for history lovers and is incredibly interesting. It tells a history few of us will know and keeps us interested until the final curtain.
Show Listing: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/madam-e-lou
LISTINGS INFORMATION:
Venue: The Annexe at Paradise in The Vault
Dates: 17th – 30th (Not 23rd)
Time: 20.15
Ticket prices: £15.00
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com
Suitable for 14+ (Guideline)