Theater Mirror REVIEW: Revels’ ‘The Selkie Girl And The Seal Woman’ Sings Harmoniously

By Charlotte Snow for New England Theater Mirror. Updated December 19, 2024.

‘The Selkie Girl And The Seal Woman’. Directed by Deborah Wise. Music Directed by Elijah Botkin, Dramaturgy by Nicole Gallahad, Choreography by Neusa Barros Aravjo & Jackie O’Reilly, Tradition Bearing by Candida Rose Baptista & Almina Pilgrim, Costume Design by Heidi Hermiller, Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg, and Scenic Design by Jeremy Barnett. Produced by Revels, ‘The Selkie Girl And The Seal’ runs from December 13th – 28th at The Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA 02138. A virtual encore, a recorded live performance, will stream from December 28th – January 12th.

I am, unfortunately, and for a variety of reasons, one of those sad individuals for whom Christmastime is the worst time. So I never really seek out events, or much of anything, that remind me of the season. So you can imagine my surprise (and partially abject terror) when I was invited to review the 54th Annual Midwinter Revels production, “The Selkie Girl And The Seal Woman.” Thankfully, I was not met with holiday hostility. Instead, I was warmly welcomed by the majesty of The Sanders Theatre alongside a heartwarming theatrical and cultural celebration. 

The Selkie Girl And The Seal Woman is a collaboratively written, high-caliber pageant that showcases a wide variety of Irish and Cabo Verdean song and dance. The works of music director Elijah Botkin and assistant music director Sarah Higginbotham inspire and propel the audience’s engagement throughout this sonically spectacular celebration. The music and choreography (Neusa Barros Aravjo & Jackie O’Reilly) are exceptional as the throughline and never fail at drastically shifting tone, adding context to the character’s inner life, and fueling the audience’s desire to sing and dance along during key moments. The live band, filled with a wide range of instruments, is incredibly versatile and mixes masterfully with Bill Winn’s sound design.

The story takes place on the evening of December 22nd, 1999, when frequenters of a pub, The Selkie Girl, are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which ended The Troubles. The festivities are led by the barkeep, Siobhan (Mary Casey,) and enjoyed by all. All except for The Poet (Aidan Parkinson,) who simply wants to be left alone to write in peace… which is relatable. However, the air changes when a young boy, Amilcar (played most charmingly by Cedric Appolon) asks Siobhan for a package delivered to his mother, Maritza (Kortney Adams.) When Maritza arrives, she reveals that she’s a marine biologist specializing in seals. The poet, struck by her profession and her coincidental arrival at this bar, once again named ‘The Selkie Girl,’ becomes inspired. As the play unfolds, they swap stories of selkie’s, mythology, history, and the beautiful crossover between Ireland and Cabo Verde. 

The narrative’s strength lies in the latter, the commonalities shared between these two similar yet incredibly distinct cultures. The script delicately borrows the framework of the selkie story to punctuate the heartache and yearning of being many oceans or countries away from one’s home, community, or culture. When these deep themes are thrupled with the visual and sound design, the piece truly sings. 

However, the story and conflict between the characters are really slim and often go unresolved. That said, all of the other aspects are so strong that they make up for this lack. In a way, the absence of this typical character definition adds to the fable-like storytelling and, at least for me, feels more like a personal pet peeve. If you’re looking to be immersed in a rich tapestry of stories, this is the play for you. If you’re looking for a more psychologically complex experience… you might be disappointed. But how could you be while being treated to two types of gorgeous cultural music?   

I’ll also note here that, as someone who admittedly tenses when they see children onstage… and most of the time offstage too, the child performers in this play were amazing and some of the best I’ve seen. They were all well understood, they carried some important selkie exposition, sounded most pleasing to the ear, and brightened the stage every time they set foot on it. 

I entered the theatre with trepidation and left with jubilation. The musical and spectacle aspects of this show absolutely carry it. Judging the work by traditional theatrical standards ultimately misses the point since this piece is part play, part pageant, part festival, part multicultural event. As someone who will always be a bit blue around the holidays, I also appreciate that this piece felt in the spirit of Christmas, choosing to draw on themes of community and belonging without bashing the audience over the head with copious amounts of holly. Hopefully, attending the Midwinter Revels every year will become a new tradition for me, just as it has become for many Bostonians. 

For more information and tickets, visit https://revels.org/

Read this review on the New England Theater Mirror website here