My Brother's a Genius review – neurodivergent twins' dreams take flight in poetry, grime and dance
The latest production from playwright Debris Stevenson, My Brother's a Genius, is a poignant exploration of twin siblings navigating their unique experiences as neurodivergent individuals. This lyrical two-hander seamlessly blends poetry, grime music, and physical movement to bring the story to life.
At its core, the show revolves around the contrasting ambitions of twins Daisy (Jess Senanayake) and Luke (Tyrese Walters). While Daisy strives to excel in circus acrobatics as a means of escape and liberation, Luke is fixated on becoming the first teenager on Mars. The play's portrayal of their struggles, both individually and together, raises important questions about neurodivergence, identity, and societal expectations.
Through Stevenson's masterful script, the twins' experiences are skillfully interwoven with themes of parental violence, mental health issues, and sibling rivalry. However, the narrative can be overwhelming at times, with some scene transitions feeling slightly jarring due to a lack of clear direction from director Eleanor Manners.
The set design, courtesy of Erin Guan, is somewhat underwhelming, consisting of basic elements such as a curtain, swing, and cardboard stereo system. Nevertheless, this minimalist approach does little to detract from the show's emotional impact.
Senanayake shines in her portrayal of Daisy, delivering a powerful performance that conveys the character's inner turmoil and ultimate sense of belonging. Walters, on the other hand, delivers a standout performance as Luke, bringing depth and nuance to his character's struggles with denial and self-discovery.
The use of grime music and movement is an undeniably infectious element of the show, with performances by Jammz and the cast adding an extra layer of energy and authenticity. The show's pacing could benefit from a more measured approach, allowing the audience to absorb the drama and beauty of Stevenson's words.
Ultimately, My Brother's a Genius is a triumph, affirming Debris Stevenson as a uniquely gifted playwright. The power of his words and the cast's performances make this production an unmissable experience for anyone interested in neurodivergent stories or simply looking for a thought-provoking theatrical experience.
The latest production from playwright Debris Stevenson, My Brother's a Genius, is a poignant exploration of twin siblings navigating their unique experiences as neurodivergent individuals. This lyrical two-hander seamlessly blends poetry, grime music, and physical movement to bring the story to life.
At its core, the show revolves around the contrasting ambitions of twins Daisy (Jess Senanayake) and Luke (Tyrese Walters). While Daisy strives to excel in circus acrobatics as a means of escape and liberation, Luke is fixated on becoming the first teenager on Mars. The play's portrayal of their struggles, both individually and together, raises important questions about neurodivergence, identity, and societal expectations.
Through Stevenson's masterful script, the twins' experiences are skillfully interwoven with themes of parental violence, mental health issues, and sibling rivalry. However, the narrative can be overwhelming at times, with some scene transitions feeling slightly jarring due to a lack of clear direction from director Eleanor Manners.
The set design, courtesy of Erin Guan, is somewhat underwhelming, consisting of basic elements such as a curtain, swing, and cardboard stereo system. Nevertheless, this minimalist approach does little to detract from the show's emotional impact.
Senanayake shines in her portrayal of Daisy, delivering a powerful performance that conveys the character's inner turmoil and ultimate sense of belonging. Walters, on the other hand, delivers a standout performance as Luke, bringing depth and nuance to his character's struggles with denial and self-discovery.
The use of grime music and movement is an undeniably infectious element of the show, with performances by Jammz and the cast adding an extra layer of energy and authenticity. The show's pacing could benefit from a more measured approach, allowing the audience to absorb the drama and beauty of Stevenson's words.
Ultimately, My Brother's a Genius is a triumph, affirming Debris Stevenson as a uniquely gifted playwright. The power of his words and the cast's performances make this production an unmissable experience for anyone interested in neurodivergent stories or simply looking for a thought-provoking theatrical experience.
I just saw My Brother's a Genius and I'm still reeling from it 
. As someone who's passionate about representation in the arts, it was amazing to see two talented actors bring neurodivergent twins to life on stage 
. The way the show blended poetry, music, and movement was pure magic 
. It's a powerful exploration of what it means to be different, and how that can shape our experiences 
. I do wish the pacing had been more measured, but overall, this is an unforgettable production that will stay with me for a long time 
but i'm not sure if the set design was a good idea, all those basic things just seemed out of place on stage 
The way it blends poetry, grime music, and dance is pure magic 
. And Tyrese Walters as Luke, man... he's like the ultimate underdog hero 
.
. And the set design might be simple, but it works - sometimes less is more, right? 
What really stood out to me was how the cast's energy and authenticity brought this show to life 
. If you haven't seen My Brother's a Genius yet, trust me and get tickets ASAP! 
.
, and now it just seems more complicated than I initially thought. I mean, the twins' story is so relatable on one hand, but at the same time, it's hard to understand why they can't just get along with each other. And don't even get me started on the whole Mars thing... like, isn't that just a super privileged thing to be fixated on? 
I'm still not sure if I'd watch this show though, I need to hear more about it from someone who's actually seen it.
. The set design looked super basic and didn't really add much to the story, you know? It felt like they just threw some cardboard boxes up on stage 
. And sometimes I felt like I needed a flowchart to keep track of what was happening with the twins' storyline 
. The grime music and movement bits were so cool though! It was like they were having a party on stage 
. Just wish it all came together a bit more cohesively 
. The way they blend poetry, grime music, and dance is pure genius (no pun intended 
). But, at the same time, I think the pacing could be tightened up a notch - some scenes felt like they were rushing through, which kinda took away from the emotional impact 
. And, yeah, the set design was pretty basic... I mean, where's the creativity in that? 
Still, Jess and Tyrese absolutely killed it on stage - their performances were so raw and honest, it felt like you were right there with them 
.
The set design might be basic, but that just shows the creativity of the cast and crew, right? 
And omg, Jess Senanayake's performance as Daisy is giving me all the feels 
. I also love how the show talks about neurodivergence and societal expectations - it's like, we need more conversations like this in the world! 
What do you guys think of My Brother's a Genius?
! As someone who's had their fair share of feeling like an outsider, I can totally relate to Daisy and Luke's struggles with identity and societal expectations 
. And omg, Tyrese Walters' performance as Luke had me FEELING ALL THE EMOTIONS 
! I loved how Debris Stevenson weaved together poetry, grime music, and physical movement to create this unforgettable experience 
. The only thing that would've made it perfect is if the set design was a bit more... WOW 
. Still, my mind is BLOWN by how well the show came together 
!
it's like they're speaking straight to my soul!!! daisy and luke's story is so raw and honest, it's like the playwright, debris stevenson, is literally reading our brains 
i love how the grime music and dance come together with the poetry - it's like a full body experience 
what really gets me though is how they're not afraid to talk about the hard stuff - mental health, sibling rivalry... it's like we're finally having a conversation about these things 
gotta see this show again and again and again 
and walters' portrayal of luke was so raw and emotional it made me wanna hug him 
. one thing that would've taken it to the next level for me though was if they'd incorporated some more visual aids or projections to really drive home the themes and ideas... but overall, totally blew my mind 
just saw that a major UK storm system is expected to hit next week, causing widespread flooding and power outages 
. As someone who's seen their fair share of theater performances, I was blown away by the emotional depth and complexity of the storytelling. It's like Debris Stevenson managed to tap into these universal feelings of identity crisis and societal pressure, and turned them into this beautiful, poignant show