What I liked
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What I didn't like
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My overall impression
Since Eve first ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge, women have been blamed for the ills of mankind. This is the first tale told in Blamed: An Established Fiction. This enchanting production combines live music, dance, shadow puppets and traditional storytelling to depict the tales of women throughout history, literature and mythology who have been victims and blamed for the chaos around them. With a premise like this, the show sounds like it could be horribly depressing – but it’s far from it.
The ensemble of 13 women (plus 4 musicians) brings each story to vivid life and at the end of each tale, there is an acknowledgement and hug. As if this group is healing these wronged women from our collective past, reclaiming their stories into a newfound sisterhood of perseverance. There are numerous magical moment, such as in the Medusa story where waves of fabric fly and weave around her, transforming her into the hideous monster.
The staging itself embraces a nurturing and supportive structure where the entire ensemble is always active as they intertwine and transform the stage from one tale to the next. Playwright Callie Prendiville has revised these stories with an underlying optimism while Annie Lavin’s choreography vividly captures this spirit of reclamation. I left the theatre feeling completely charmed by this creative piece and talented ensemble.
