2025Edfringe: Alone

★★★★★

A girl sits on a chair, listening to her music, swaying to the rhythm. Little did I know this peaceful scene would soon unfold into a story heart-stirring.

It follows two astronauts who, after a sudden accident aboard their spaceship, must devise multiple solutions in a short time to save themselves. The story begins with a light conversation about their different musical tastes, gradually revealing their contrasting personalities: Taylor is serious, strict, and procedural; Holland is relaxed, playful, and extroverted.

If the play were only about the personality clash between two women, it would not be so remarkable. Later, topics like faith and death—once casual subjects in their conversation—suddenly crash into their reality, forcing them to decide what truly matters: life, faith, achievements or trust.

From a tranquil opening, the tempo quickens bit by bit, igniting everything into an explosion within just an hour. Emotion builds steadily toward a powerful climax. The play strikes an excellent balance between incident, dialogue, and action. The conversations are thought-provoking, yet never overlong. Both actors are superb—I recommend sitting in the front row, where the subtle shifts in their expressions can move you.

It’s also worth noting the remarkable stage design—rare for a fringe production. It doesn’t attempt to recreate everything like a big-budget show, but instead uses thoughtful, intelligent design as an integral part of the storytelling.

With a feminist undercurrent, the show avoids the cliché of the fragile, virtuous heroine whose worth is proven only through self-sacrifice. Instead, it offers a portrait of real women—where selfishness and courage, nobility and hypocrisy, coexist. It depicts a female friendship that is not entirely without tension, yet in moments of crisis becomes a bond of mutual support and resilience.