Theatre
As the Dust Settles
Il-Kantina ta’ Katarin, Żejtun
When an outpouring of emotion takes place on the page, it wields a power of its own, touching the reader deeply and working its magic differently according to the individual’s response. Translating the power of the written word – in this case, a collection of introspective poems by Miriam Calleja – into a dramatic performance, gives it the performative and interpretive dimension in which physical theatre allows a turn of phrase to become a turn of the body.
As the Dust Settles, produced by Willow Theatre at Il-Kantina ta’ Katarin in Żejtun, is an extension of LeSalon Malta’s initiative to promote the fast-dwindling art of cultural dialogue. It also draws on the art of dance to create an undulant dyad between the two protagonists of its six poems, Teresa and Igor.
Words are not the only means of communication
The venue’s name, ‘kantina’ is highly appropriate because it was indeed in this wine bar’s actual wine cellar – an intricate, labyrinthine series of rooms, alcoves and narrow passageways – that the performance took place.
I was fortunate enough to be offered a private viewing of the piece before it opens to the public this weekend. Through a series of performances repeating on a loop on three consecutive evenings, the piece draws on elements of dance and micro-theatre to create a touching performance in the raw emotions it presents, becoming a piece of performative installation art.
Beneath ground level, in the bowels of a medieval town, the three performers take the audience on a journey of emotional discovery which strips desire, love and lust to the bare sinew of yearning.
Trapped in the stifling closeness of the thick limestone walls, the audience is greeted by the figure of a Guardian of the cellar (Naomi Said), who introduces them to her protagonist, Teresa, who finally loosens her grip on humdrum reality to discover her inner self, exposing the theme of the shedding of the ordinary, of the mundane, in favour of a flow of emotions, becoming ‘unstuck’.
Claustrophobia takes on a heightened form when compounded by the simmering frustrations and desires of a writhing Teresa (Alba Florian Viton) in Dell, as she powders herself with flour and rips herself out of her shroud of being, while her later confrontation with the as-yet-evasive figure of Igor (David Chircop) in Tango is tentative at such an early stage.
The duo’s relationship takes a violent turn in Wiċċek ma’ Wiċċi as they struggle with each other, allowing their fears to take over and the physicality of their relationship becomes a struggle for power. Their anonymity at this point is broken by the naming poem – an introduction where two individuals lost in translation come together and open up to each other – the first moment of levity and comfort in the piece. As they delve deeper into the cellar, so too do they delve deeper into their feelings for each other.
Their lack of understanding at first appears a hindrance but words are not the only means of communication, and finally, the poem becomes a memory of unity and complicity. It culminates in tender sexual intimacy, in which water, running powdered colours and movement make good use of visuals, and ending in their final embrace.
The confined space available – which was used to great effect by actress and concept director Florian Viton – was a means of channelling the small audience through the frustrations of the two hearts involved in a struggle with their heads, while the background music echoing against the stone walls made the very moving final poem all the more significant.
Both Florian Viton and Chircop had a strong dynamic and, in spite of the minimal script, their activation of Calleja’s words, thanks to Florian Viton’s skilful reworking and staging, worked very well.
As the Dust Settles is an enriching artistic experience which is interdisciplinary and emotionally engaging.