It might seem like a stretch to weave together a coming-of-age-story about two Korean-American girls with Alice In Wonderland and the Greek myth of Medea. But writer/performer Sue Jin Song does this with ease, and her one-woman show, Children of Medea at the Capital Fringe Festival, is a fascinating story performed by a compelling performer.

Song embodies all the characters present in her narrative, namely two sisters and their emotionally-withdrawn father. The story teeters intriguingly between fantasy and reality, particularly during the moments when Song disappears down the rabbit hole. The oldest daughter captures the “always perfect” archetype without being a mere cliche, and seeing her faced for the first time with true hardship is heart-wrenching. The younger sister’s conflicts are perhaps less dire, but no less sympathetic, as she’s forced to grow up more quickly than she had hoped as her sister withdraws.

The work really gets to the heart of the challenges these girls face growing up without a mother, and gets to the heart of the impact the circumstances have on dramatically different personalities. It takes awhile for the fantastical and reality-based plots to all tie together, but when they do the impact is chilling.

Song is a gifted performer to watch, transitioning effortlessly between characters, investing the younger sister in a boundless energy, the sister with a tortured kind of gravitas. She’s funny, athletic and riveting — a real force. Discovery of this kind of talent makes one grateful for Fringe.

Children of Medea is playing on the fourth floor of Studio Theater, and has three remaining performances. Tickets are available online.