Over the years I have gone to productions
in several different languages none of which I have any knowledge
of. This year it was Georgian with English subtitles!!
The
Tbilisi Vaso Abashidze State Theatre of Music & Drama, Georgia
are presenting 'Mystery of Marlene Dietrich Exposed by Georgians', a
very Eastern version of a very Western story. Author and director
David Doiashvili introduces Marlene Dietrich (Eka Kakhiani) as a
lady advanced in years, reminiscing episodes of her life to a young
psychoanalyst (Archil Solghashvili). This celluloid femme-fatale is
expressing her views on, youth, love, sex, wartime politics,
patriotism and Hollywood through personal memories. As the young
psychoanalyst is drawn further in to her world is his
professionalism dissolving into a worshiping obsession.
Throughout
the show we are shown film of what is going through Marlene's head,
we also meet characters from her past both fact and fictional
portrayed by Marina Djokhadze, Manana Tatishvili, Giorgi Kvelashvili,
Lasha Ramishvili, Salome Kipiani, Alexandre Begalishvili,Akaki
Topuria, Loseb Muziashvili and Garry Bagdasarov.
I
was, totally intrigued by this show and was able to follow it fairly
well. It is at times surreal, others fantastical and others very
dark.
An
interesting performance and one I am glad I got to see.
****
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