What I liked
This is a gorgeous piece of storytelling.
What I didn't like
I have nothing here. Loved it.
My overall impression
A gorgeous, lovely piece of work not to be missed. Blamed: An Established Fiction is a delightfully feminine, gentle work of ensemble storytelling that does not shy away from the pain inflicted on and by women over the course of history and mythology but also exudes the joy of being propped up by and celebrating with your sisters from all walks of life. Through dance, narration. shadow puppets, and very clever staging we are taken through stories with a common theme: women getting the shaft time and time again. One of the notes of beautiful direction I most loved was that after each story the actor who had portrayed the lead character (who inevitably had a horrible end) was embraced and buoyed by one of her fellow actors.
The staging is very organic with the ensemble onstage watching, participating and lending energy to each piece. Rather than a hierarchical approach, the stories seem to evolve out of the collective. Cleverly staged and lyrical in quality, Blamed transports you to another time and place while never forgetting the applicability to the here and now. The band does a brilliant job of supporting but never overpowering the action on stage.
The aesthetic is folkloric like you’re at a multi-cultural Amish barn-raising where the women tell their own stories and celebrate life on their own terms. Go see this.
