I’m not entirely sure how to describe this show, but I keep coming back to the word extraordinary. However, actually describing the show itself? That is a bit trickier, because Depois Do Silêncio is not your average theatre production. It’s part theatre performance, part lecture, part dance, part movement, part concert, part soundscape, and part film. And if you’re thinking that that’s a lot of parts, you would be right. But somehow it all comes together beautifully and just works. It’s a testament to creator Christiane Jatahy’s vision.
The one line summary of Depois Do Silêncio is that this is a show about the intergenerational trauma inherent in the legacy of racism and slavery in rural Brazil. So not exactly a lighthearted night out at the theatre. It also touches on many other subjects, including community, rebellion, leadership, assassinations, and family. There were four performers onstage, but the show would cut back and forth between live performance and filmed sequences. And it was brilliant. I was actually battling a stomach bug the night I saw Depois Do Silêncio and I was still riveted, so that’s saying something.
This was also the first time I discovered the Le CentQuatre-Paris art centre, and I instantly fell in love. If this is the calibre of productions that are staged here, I have a feeling I’ll be a member before long. I can’t wait to see what they stage next.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
