Walking into the Herro-Franke Studio Theater and seeing colorful rows of costumes on the stage, I had a hunch that Frida… A Self Portrait – written and performed by Vanessa Severo – would be special. And wow, was my instinct right. It made me laugh, cry, and think deeply about art, life and how it blends together. Here’s why you, too, should see Frida before it closes May 17.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
1. The storytelling paints a beautiful, raw, intimate picture of Kahlo’s life.
Severo’s storytelling wove together Kahlo’s life story and an interview she gave in her final days into a stunning portrait of love, passion, loss and agency as a woman artist living with chronic pain. Throughout, we also get to see pieces of Severo’s own story, how she sees herself in Kahlo’s life and how she sees Kahlo in her own life.
2. The set and costumes are creative and dynamic, bringing the story to life.
One of the highlights of this show was easily the set. Three clotheslines filled with clothes hang from a huge four-poster bed stage. The clothes act as costumes, puppets for other characters, and even the set itself – such as when Severo stood in front of a cloth as if she’s lying in bed or when she held the clothesline as if riding a trolley.
Notably, the way Severo brings Diego Rivera, Kahlo’s husband, to life through the use of a large suit was a genius work of puppeteering and artistry. We were able to see Kahlo interact with Rivera as Severo kept one arm in the suit and one out – depicting their interactions simultaneously. The clothes carried the story along, acting as a throughline between the stages of her life.
3. The dancing is a physical embodiment of Kahlo’s emotions.
Severo’s experience as a dancer shone through her movement during the play, vividly animating Kahlo’s emotional moments – her love, loss, heartbreak and rage. Every time Severo was dancing, I had chills. And in a few scenes, I even teared up at the raw emotion she brought to the performance.
4. It is a reflection on how art is in conversation with us; how it reveals parts of ourselves back at us.
Kahlo lived a colorful life – her paintings, her bright blue house, her iconic outfits all projected a vibrant existence. But underneath the vibrant colors was a largely tragic life. That’s how life is, I suppose: a mix of beauty and hardship and making sense of it all as we go along. That’s what Kahlo did; she made sense of her life through art, asking us all to look at it and understand our own lives as well. This show highlighted the conversation that exists between ourselves and art. Severo sees herself in Kahlo and Kahlo in herself, and we see ourselves in both of their stories. This show is such a wonderful reminder that art is alive, dynamic and emotional, and that in it, we see truths about the world and our lives.
5. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the playwright perform this show live.
It is a special gift to get to see a playwright perform their work. Severo clearly lives and breathes her own life and spirit into this show, conjuring the spirit of Kahlo in doing so. It was incredible to witness and something that is fleeting. Take advantage of the opportunity to see this living art – it’s definitely a moment in Milwaukee theater you won’t want to miss.
