Élizaviéta Bam
Louisa McEwan
The Herald, Friday, August 15, 2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

Élizaviéta Bam encourages us to contemplate the feeling of fear, the instinct of survival, and the power of the human spirit when faced with the narcissism of the state. We are taken into a world where reality and the imaginary are interwoven. Portrayed with wit and absurdity, we follow Élizaviéta’s struggle and triumph over destructive forces in a fantastical and irrational world.

Written more than 70 years ago by a Russian liberal, Daniil Harms, his verse and prose express the refusal to reason and sometimes rejects logic. His black humour and attention to phonetics and rhythms works well with director Oleg Kisseliov’s Creative Impulse method of physical and psychological training.

With dazzling performances from the Canadian-based company, Les Créations Diving Horse, Élizaviéta Bam plunges into a surreal world of delirium and hysterics. The fantastic geometric set moving the players in and out of dream-like sequences with ease and grace. It will leave you awe-inspired.

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