6th February 2014
Robin Howard Theatre
The Place, London
A window into the lives of four long-lived
women is how Ieva Kuniskis’s most recent choreographic masterpiece can be
described. Though with a similar quirk to her previous work Gone to Get Milk (plant pots, torn paper
and hair washing replace oranges for instance), Women’s Tales seems to have much more depth and heart to it; a heaviness
that lurks but that doesn’t depress.
Perched on a bench, Rachel Burn is the
first to begin unraveling her story. Repetitively tangled in her long, finely
tuned, slightly double jointed (?) arms, she seems ever so slightly retained;
helpless to the point that even hearty Helen Aschauer insists on bathing her
long locks for her.
Padurariu Andreea, (the actress among the
group) on the contrary, seems somewhat content in her world. On a chair in the background she sits for much of the piece tearing up paper, a metaphor maybe for
something or someone that’s better off forgotten. And then as she leaves the chair
and begins an enticing interaction, the window is removed from its frame and
she draws us in a little closer.
Victoria Winter is an intriguing one,
placid and secretive but her subtleness speaks volumes. And if they were
playing the dysfunctional family that at times they look like they could well
be, then Helen would be the older sister- troubled and feisty.
Kuniskis has created a collage of pure
satisfaction. Each story insightfully presented, and overlapped with such
perfection that there are some real moments of magic. An array of earthly
toned, simple dresses and skirts adds a dated feel to this small
cluster of women, and the Lithuanian folk music which in part they come to
sing, a real sense of community.
Women’s Tales is a great piece of theatre, simple, well constructed and relatable, but with still enough mystery to allow us to ponder.
Well done. Sounds amazing.
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