Optimistic
Created by Sarah Deller
Elizabeth Holmes claims her biotechnology will revolutionize medicine – and people believe her. A single drop of blood, she claims, can be used for up to 800 blood tests. She rockets to fame and fortune, becoming the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire and inviting comparisons with geniuses from Steve Jobs to Beethoven. The problem: her technology doesn’t work. As she defrauds investors of hundreds of millions of dollars and uses her disastrous technology to test real patients, does she think she's doing anything wrong?
Photo by Brian Wilson.
Optimistic is a devised, solo play, based on verbatim interviews, trial exhibits, text messages, and Holmes' personal notes. It asks questions about the gap between appearance and reality as it delves into the mind of the fraudster once considered guaranteed to change the world. Adopting Holmes’ distinctive mannerisms and famously affected voice, I bring to life verbatim material previously unavailable to creators of existing works on Holmes. This allows me true insight as I answer the crucial question: what was Holmes thinking? Among more explicit revelations, Optimistic depicts Holmes’ eating disorder, which has been virtually or entirely absent from any other creative adaptation, news coverage, or journalism of this story, yet which is critical to understanding Holmes.
Media
Media Inquiries
Mobius
contact: edinburgh@mobiusindustries.com
“The consummate character actor”
“Sheer vulnerability... it certainly showcases Deller’s prowess as a multifaceted actor and ensures her a commendable spot in the theatrical limelight.”
“[Deller’s] technical armoury as a performer is outstanding. The acting and general quality of the piece is a wonderful demonstration of how good a one-person show can be.”
“A performance crackling with energy”
“To spend an hour in the presence of Sarah Deller on stage was the closest insight you could ever possibly hope to get [...] to being in the room where it happened. [...] Deller is a vessel for Holmes. ”
Audience Reviews
“A very strong performance from a very talented actor. This was probably the best Fringe play I saw. A gripping and intense play that kept my full attention throughout. Well done Sarah Deller!” —D.
“Sarah's performance as Holmes is quite mesmerising, the spot-on vocal impression alone will make you gasp” — S.A.
“Brilliant high octane performance. Sarah Deller almost sells the grift even though we know what’s coming. A MUST SEE!” — D.M.
Audience Reviews
“Fantastic, intense performance. A compelling story, incredibly acted with a nuanced performance covering a complex topic. The hour went by in a flash. Educational and engaging.” —G.D.
“Wow, what a great performance! Definitely a must see of this year's fringe. The 1-hour long performance captured what seemed impossible- the story, the emotion and the tragedy of the whole Theranos saga.” —H.
“A very talented actor, putting on a great show - audience engaged throughout as she tells a most interesting story.” —A
Audience Reviews
“Live the emotions, mind and delusions of Elizabeth Holmes. Immersive and detailed. A real tour de force.” —M.H.
“Strap yourself in ... A fantastic one women tour de force, capturing the visuals, vocals, drama and extremes of a driven entrepreneur. A great show.... go see it.” — I.
“A slightly odd but captivating performance. There is no doubt that the actor is incredibly talented- to flawlessly memorise a whole hours worth of word for word quotes and act them out was fascinating. […] I truly believe the actor was worth a full house. We came to Edinburgh for a different show which ended up being dreadful and booked this last minute as a filler- well, thank goodness we did as it made the Edinburgh trip entirely worth it. Well done!” — I.M.
Audience Reviews
“Sarah’s embodiment of Holmes is phenomenal, the display of her spiral and interpretation of messages is mind boggling. Would see again.” —S.A.
“One of my favorites this year! I was fascinated with the Elizabeth Holmes case and I knew I had to see this when I read that her story was being told in verbatim theatre style. Deller’s phenomenal vocal technique and attention to Holmes’ mannerisms puts you in the room with Elizabeth Holmes. An absolutely stunning (and at times unsettling, in the best way) performance. Looking forward to the work Sarah Deller does in the future!” —B.K.
“Absolutely incredible show by Sarah who didn't miss a beat throughout and we were totally hooked by her performance of Elizabeth Holmes. The hours and hours of research were evident and Sarah steered you through the story and the different characters really nimbly. A must see at the Fringe!” —A.B.
Development History
WIP Performance Halifax NS, June 2022
WIP Performance Edinburgh, August 2022
Workshop with Eric Rose, Calgary, July 2023
Workshop with Alex McLean, Halifax. July 2023
Rehearsal Photos
Photo by James MacLean.
Alex McLean and Sarah Deller, Optimistic workshop, July 2023. Photo by James MacLean.
Sarah Deller and Alex McLean, Optimistic workshop, July 2023. Photo by James MacLean.