I’ve just seen a preview of The Art of Facing Fear, a unique production with 25 actors from five continents performing live online.
A technological feat to say the least, but the script, performances and haunting music make it a memorable event.
The play opens to stamp sized cameos of actors performing in their own homes, voicing fears everyone has experienced through the pandemic when we all became prisoners at home.
Fears are juxtaposed against hope. An actor talks about posting a poem on hope every day, the pleasures of being in a shared online space with someone, an ocean apart.
Art, dance, music are healing tools to be used to hold on to sanity
Interestingly the play weaves political issues into the script, for around
the world pandemic fears overshadow apprehensions about falling values.
The white man’s bubble of self importance and obsession with money are critiqued.
A Chinese American talks about living in fear as hate crimes increased after Trump called Corona a Cinese virus.
George Floyd’s murder is graphically enacted.
However hope gets injected through an undulating rhythm ending on a high note that spring will arrive and Louis Armstrong reminding us what a wonderful world we live in.
The production ends on a gimmicky note as the audience is asked to make a donation towards future shows since they have attended a complementary one.
Why not simply let people buy their own tickets?
Fonte: Meher Pestonji
