Swan? is part ballet, part clowning and just a little bit of low-level audience participation. All of that adds up to an interesting evening, and a hilarious one at that. 

Lauren Brady embodies Odette, a lovestruck swan and the main character of the ballet Swan Lake. Isolated to a lake and with very few companions to keep her company, she hopes to meet her perfect partner who will break an evil sorcerer’s curse and she can be turned back into a human. Brady’s physicality and performance style is exemplary, sustaining a dynamic character that is relatable and eminently watchable. Ballet is a physically demanding dance style and all credit to Brady for her commitment to maintaining her form for the entire show.

The theme of the show is occasionally somewhat morose, although, incontrovertible, it also is spectacularly funny. Brady has done an excellent job reflecting the difficulties finding love in a contemporary society. The show is a remarkable discussion on some serious issues around looking for love, including loneliness and the difficulties of dating and finding an appropriate partner. 

Daring and profound, Swan? is an exceptional show that is less of a retelling of the ballet Swan Lake and more of an honest discussion on the nature of unrequited love through the prism of a chain-smoking half human, half swan.