My overall impression
Rollerblading in Gaza.
This review was first published on ArtsBeatLA.com
Review by Pauline Adamek
This solo show, conceived and performed by Maude Klochendler, is an outpouring of a young woman’s struggle with her cultural identity. Upstage is a prominent display of French, American and Israeli flags that indicate her multicultural background.
Maude goes from a mandatory stint in the Israeli Army to working at Club Med to living New York, where she struggles to gain work as an actor. She occasionally sings a cabaret tune with her gutsy, powerful voice, but mostly yells above the audience’s heads instead of directing her monologue to the audience right in front of her.
She tells us they even signed an Israeli law into existence following her reckless rollerblading jaunt through the Gaza strip, and then she dons a set of pink rollerblades to careen around the tiny stage in an unskilled fashion.
Despite Maude’s infectious spirit, Rollerblading in Gaza is a fairly ordinary personal tale that lacks emotional depth and insight.
If you’d like to decide for yourself, the show has two more performances at the end of this week (Friday, June 24 5:30 PM and Saturday June 25 5:30 PM).
