The truly exceptional leaves little space for words, which is why it is so difficult to find the right place to begin writing. This experience has been unlike any other I have had this summer. It shook me and, I believe, the greater part of the audience the way that true art does. In a way that leaves you naked to your thoughts.
Narrowing down what this performance is about would be impossible, because it is about so many things at once. It is a one woman show about an aspiring actress and the hard choices she faces to try and break into the world of show business and stand ‘tall’, but it is also a political work about the state of the world. Although it springs from an Italian context, the message of the play expands to encompass much more than that, as you realise that The Sh*t is everywhere. To what extent are we complicit and how can we redeem ourselves?
Cristian Ceresoli’s play is beautifully written, at once lyrical and brutal, and as unapologetic as its title. It is a tragedy in three parts – each is a monologue in its own right and reaches its own climax, but all are tied together in the end through the Italian anthem. It is a cry desperately seeking a catharsis that is constantly at bay. There is no neat resolution to this play or to the questions that it poses and the irony is bone-chilling. Although shocking, you get the impression that the play does not aim to shock so much as it aims to be honest.
Silvia Gallerano is an incredibly powerful presence, even as her nakedness makes her vulnerable at the same time. She is perched on a platform that is elevated from the ground, which creates an interesting dynamic given that she becomes both an observer and the object of observation. The only ‘prop’ is a microphone. Her performance is captivating in every respect: her physicality embodies feelings of entrapment and insecurity, but also strong resolve, while her voice explores an endless range of tones and hues. She takes on the various characters that cross her narrative with ease, never fully transforming into them, but rather letting them wash over her in a way that tells us how she sees them. She is profoundly expressive and magnetic as she takes us through her monologue. Her performance is complemented by the sparse and stark setting, as everything conspires to make her the absolute point of focus. The lighting is very effective and underscores the atmosphere with subtlety.
This performance takes you on a journey of introspection and it is an experience that is as personal as it is political. It is not often that you feel privileged to have watched a play - but this is undoubtedly one of those times.
