Vertigo CultureLab’s The Fly and the Spider travels through Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav’s tale on several paths, to create a meditative and intimate interdisciplinary work. It is a different encounter with Jewish text, and at the same time, a different sort of encounter with the disciplines involved in the creation of this piece: dance, theatre, music and literature. Following its premiere at the 2014 Israel Festival in Jerusalem, The Fly and the Spider will be performed in Tel Aviv on August 19, 2014 at the Nahmani Theatre.
Rabbi Nahman’s tale of a king, his dreams and musings, conquests and quests, is enigmatic to the point of impenetrability. Reading the text for meaning, one is bound to emerge bewildered at best, and possibly frustrated. Yet for the creating artists, working with such an opaque text, with its narrative twists and dense imagery, provides a framework full of possibilities. Developed by Artistic director Baruch Brenner and General director Rina Wertheim with composer Meir Yaniger, voice artist Merav Ben David, actor Shir Shinar and dancers Alexandra Shmurek and Jin Plotkin in the Vertigo Eco-Arts Village studio over the course of a year, the resulting work does not intend to offer an explanation of the text, or even a definitive interpretation. On the contrary, the interdisciplinary nature of this piece suggests a different way of approaching the material, coming from several different directions at once, and following those paths of movement, sound, images and meaning, connecting the sensual to sense and opening up pathways of perception.
The ephemeral becomes physical, and through the physical, one touches on the ephemeral in ways that go beyond words. The text of the story is literally embodied in this performance in the form of many, many, books with bright red covers. More than a prop, these books too become part of the story itself. The music and physicality of this work bring out the light inherent in the tale, regarding the human existence it ponders with a certain humor.
Performances: Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at 20:30. Nahmani Theatre, 4 Nahmani Street, Tel Aviv, 03-5289163.
Artistic director, director, performer, and vocal artist: Baruch Brenner
General director, artistic collaborator, and dancer: Rina Wertheim
Composer and musician: Meir Yaniger; Voice artist and interdisciplinary artist: Merav Ben-David; Actor: Shir Shinar; Dancers: Alexandra Shmurak, Jin Plotkin. The CultureLab was established at the initiative of Mifal HaPais Israel Lottery.
