The DU theatre department’s first mainstage production of the Winter Quarter, “Cradle Two Grave,” opened Feb. 1 and lit up the intimate stage of the JMac White Box with an emotionally intense story of sisterhood and mental illness. Set under bursts of confetti and dangling birthday cards that are reminiscent of an art exhibit, the audience is easily engrossed in the unconventional lives of twins, Mo and Fran.

“Cradle Two Grave” is an autobiographical tale, created by Morgaine “Mo” Gooding-Silverwood, about the complexities of having a twin sister with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The show is extremely informative about BPD along with the history of mistreatment of women in psychiatric care. While the center of the show is Fran’s illness, the message extends far beyond a public service announcement to a distinct, captivating lesson about love and separation. Perhaps the reason for DU’s wonderful rendition of this show was the help of Gooding-Silverwood herself, who was able to offer guidance during the production’s early stages, where the majority of the blocking and dances were developed. Additionally, DU got the honor of being the second production of the show, and the first to not star Gooding-Silverwood. Director Ashley Lauren Hamilton, who had worked with Gooding-Silverwood on past theatre-related endeavors, does the story justice by taking seriously the deep themes at hand and providing a visual representation of a misunderstood disorder.

In order to tell a deeply poignant story, “Cradle Two Grave” relies not on dialogue, but rather on movement and audio. The show’s implementation of modern dance highlights the diverse talent of DU’s actors. The impeccable synchronization of the ensemble serves as a reference to the unspoken, underlying harmony of twins that exists even in times of emotional or physical separation. Further, the show combines James Blake’s resonating music with actual audio clips from the family’s therapy sessions for a uniquely touching experience, all orchestrated by Stage Manager Sam Pierce III.

With a considerably small cast of six women, each character is able to stand out, even the chorus of four (Molly Carter, Hayley Emerson, Evan Monteith and Tess Neel) who move and talk almost exclusively in sync. Mo is portrayed by freshman Isabelle Chern, whose heart-wrenching performance captures the struggle of trying to understand an often misrepresented illness, as well as how to love someone in their time of need. Mo’s twin, Fran, is beautifully portrayed by junior Rhianna DeVries, who invites you into her world with intimate, at times blunt, discussions of her mental illness and the challenges it brings. Cast members are constantly moving, keeping the audience enthralled in the action throughout.

“Cradle Two Grave” has shows Feb. 7 through Feb. 11. Tickets are going quick and can be purchased through the DU theatre department’s website. Not to mention, the current buy one get one promotion gives students who buy a “Cradle Two Grave” ticket a free ticket to the next production, “Trojan Women.”