The Freak
Written by Erik Ehn
Project Assigned by Judith Dolan
2019 University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
Part of Erik Ehn’s series “The Saint Plays,” It is the story of a young Swedish girl who was born with wings. She flies around tries to solve problems wherever she goes. Either through dreams or time travel, she meets a rather pitiful St. George. She ends up cutting her wings off with a pen knife, giving them to him to use as a relic, so that he can become a saint.
The play is represented with a reliquary to show something precious that can be dismissed as creepy or weird. It also symbolizes the utilitarian vs the reverential. Once something becomes sacred, it loses its usefulness because it can no longer be used as a tool.
Gunna
Gunna, the titular freak, is an undaunted and pragmatic young Swedish girl which brought to mind Gretta Thunberg. Since the character is seen as a freak, her wings shouldn’t be angelic or fairylike. Instead, they’re the wings of a moth, which is benign but alarming. She doesn’t have Peter pan style fly wires, but bungee cords to give her a moth’s erratic movement.
St. George
Saint George is based on 13th century depictions of knights, who look like slender, somewhat androgynous figures in what look like chainmail footie pajamas. The chainmail is represented with a soft, thick, cable knit. The abstract armor is offset with his all too real looking sword. This is to show that he’s actually expected to kill someone, and how hopeless his situation is.
The reliquary is made with paper quilling. Inside the box is a pair of actual moth wings, bedded on dried lavender blossoms, against a lining made from a yellow rain slicker.