The review – The City Noise – which died down
This year’s theme is followed by students from the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography. What would it be like to survive a disaster? What would we do if we lost a person we love there? They open this sensitive theme in The City Noise, which commemorates the events of September 11, 2001 and their impact. They show how catastrophes affect human lives in a poetic but at the same time brutal spirit that strikes.
The floor of the stage is completely covered with a newspaper, which fulfils not only the aesthetic but also a significant element of the whole performance. Newspapers are one of the sources thanks to which we learn about news from around the world. The actors slowly come to light from among them, as if they represented individual events, people’s lives and even the ideas that individual newspapers hold within them. The creators bet on the overall simplicity of the visual form of the stage, perhaps in order for the idea of changing human lives to come to the fore.
Even though five actors appear on stage, the narrative revolves around one man, behind whom one can see the inspiration for the performance, a photo of the father of one of the victims standing in front of the memorial of the terrorist attack. The protagonist’s memories slowly but surely unfold the action around him. Thanks to this support, viewers are able to imagine what is happening in the thoughts that are verbally represented.
To complete the atmosphere, the performance uses a musical score and lights. The use of newspapers as a motif connecting most scenes is smart. It is the sound of rustling that evokes the feeling of a noisy city that never stops in the spectator. A reference to the sound of newspapers (or rather their production) can also be found in the speeches of actors, as they comment on the sound of printing plates, thanks to which most newspapers are made. The sound of the piano in minor / sad tones is most often heard from the speakers. The creators thus evoke a serious atmosphere and present a theme that is not joyful. Working with silence, which separates the individual scenes, is also important. The viewer thus has time to process the idea represented in the part that just ended. As far as light is concerned, the most striking light element is the regularly appearing and at the same time disappearing light of a lighthouse. The lighthouse is generally a sign of hope and security. With this light, the creators are probably trying to break down the depressing catastrophic theme and show that there is also hope.
The City Noise is an example of good work with theatrical means of expression, so as to influence the watching spectator. The austere design supports the idea that students are trying to communicate. And the whole production is proof that it doesn’t take many words to explain a problem.
Sára Poloučková (UPOL)