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| Edinburgh : A&E : Theatre: Dance: Review |
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Medsmama
- Tour & World Premiere . A dance piece entitled grandmother: hardly likely to pull in the crowds. Actually, it's called Medsmama - the Armenian word for you mum or dad's mother - but then I'm sure you knew that already. The show is based around the close relationship between Arousiak, her younger self and her granddaughter. And, yes, that is confusing. Arousiak Chakmakjian, formerly Torosian, was born in 1896 in Adana, Turkey, before settling in Jerusalem, Cyprus and Beirut before coming to Britain in 1976. This piece aims to explore the cultural heritage of Arousiak and her granddaughter, who happens to be director/choreographer and dancer Ani Tchackmakdjian. Such a premise would easily draw in self-consciously intellectually curious souls but what about your average punter? Well, I'm fairly confident most people would, after watching, walk away rather glad they had made the effort. Ruth Posner's graceful performance as Arousiak forms an irresistibly intriguing centre point throughout the entire piece. She absorbs the crushing mental oppression wrought by persecution in Eastern Europe with a dignity only age-old wisdom can bring. By cleverly interweaving intricate interplay between the three "live" dancers with stark video imagery and mellifluous music, the show gradually adds layers of meaning and poignancy. A dancer spins and stretches skillfully beneath a screen showing scenes from everyday Armenian life alongside tragic pictures of skeletal victims of intolerance and injustice. It's truly heartbreaking to watch Ani's anonymous character lay forth the anguish of a stricken mother driven to contemplate killing her kids to protect them from a worse fate. Bit by bit, the piece slowly reveals a cold, harsh and unforgiving world. But it's evoked with a wonderful refinement and almost heroic stoicism that would cause even the most arrogant cultural patriot to pause for thought. Even though it is held in the main theatre, the dance space is fairly small, although the chemistry between the performers creates an intimate atmosphere. The piece was partly inspired by the following old Russian phrase: As the initially elusive historical threads came together, Medsmama weaves
a vivid mental tapestry of family, suffering and humanity in the largely
mysterious nation that is Armenia. Cast:
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