Landsfrau theatre review: Raw, competing confessions
Mariann Yar captures the co-existing emotions of pride and guilt surrounding her Afghan heritage in an honest and emotional blend of poetry, contemporary dance and immersive theatre
They say the best way to learn about a culture is to be immersed in it. This production does exactly that with the help of our autofictional guide Ariana (inspired and embodied by Mariann Yar). A young Afghan girl growing up in Germany, Ariana divulges her dealings with racism and experiences of being othered among her peers in a post 9/11 western world. Using a tapestry of contemporary dance, monologue and immersive theatre she shows us family rituals, Afghan traditions and canonic art. It’s both a celebratory archiving of the culture that connects our narrator to her roots and a shameful confession of how disconnected she feels to Afghanistan.
Of course, this story is heightened by the blood-stained reality of Afghanistan’s historical conflicts and current Taliban rule. But Yar doesn’t shy away from this. Her form of resistance is shedding light on that country’s beauty rather than its violence; we hear poems and songs in Dari and are invited to have tea on stage next to fellow audience members. ‘Tea is what reminds me most of my family,’ she says, before asking us to keep Afghanistan in our thoughts. Thanks to this intimate moment, we will.
Landsfrau, Summerhall, until 31 August, 2.50pm; picture: Cornelius Reitmayr.