Beasts - Melbourne Fringe Festival review

In 1974, three sisters were found dead in the desert region of Chile. They were tied together at the waist and hung near their home. To this day, speculation still exists as to what happened to them; if this was a suicide pact or something more sinister. Beasts tells the story of these sisters while also highlighting their struggle of holding on to what was dear to them when faced with roadblocks at every turn.

Alejandra Marin, Maria Paula Afanador and Samantha Urquijo-Garciaare portray the Quispe sisters, and they deliver strong performances, conveying much emotion and feeling through their body language and movement. Each actor shows the conflict that these sisters is experiencing, which while they each respond to it differently ultimately reach the same devastating end. 

At one point, the sisters discuss how the world outside of their land has changed as they attempt to explain the modern wonders of electricity and television to each other. They are later pressured by a trader to swap their warm, functional clothing for lighter, brighter clothes that people are embracing. This constant push-pull on tradition and modernisation leaves us questioning who the 'beasts' of this story actually are.