Once upon a time… in a faraway land… it happened… did not happen… could have happened. History is passed on like stories from generation to generation. But what if the stories are not what they seem?
This award-winning work is an international collaboration between UK Classical Indian artist Seeta Patel and Australian choreographer Lina Limosani.
This work blends techniques from Bharatanatyam, contemporary dance & theatre to create a poetic narrative that has the beauty & disquiet of a Grimm’s fairy-tale. Told through a fairytale, this theatrical work's story unfolds through movement, dance, and music with a continuous poetic and evocative narration. With striking imagery, it’s a one-woman show which subversively co-opts whitewashing against itself, with cultural appropriation at its core.
This accessible show blurs the lines between dance and theatre with a story that aligns perfectly with our history of colonialism. It’s a visual performative metaphor that talks about power and manipulation, stories and culture, BUT most importantly, it's about awareness, about each of our contributions, and the roles we play in creating the story we are in today.
The inspiration stems from our concerns that revisionist and airbrushed histories have become a central issue of tension throughout the world, in particular Western democracies. History is being dressed up to make a more readily acceptable narrative for us to consume to the detriment of diverse voices and stories being heard.
Britain and Australia, amongst others, have sordid histories and relationships with indigenous and migrant communities. Skewed histories fuel a distorted sense of nationalism. This work aims to open up conversation through a clever appropriation of whitewashed histories and give a voice back to lost histories and communities.
Not Today’s Yesterday embraces a new artistic form through the cross-pollination of contemporary dance with the traditional form Bharatanatyam the art of storytelling.
Reviews
THE ADVERTISER
'This is outstanding, innovative, must-see dance.'
'Dancer and choreographer Lina Limosani's work is always intellegent and often daring'.
BROADWAY BABY
'Not Today’s Yesterday is a poised and thoughtful work and a spectacular performance from a powerful dancer.'
THE SCOTSMAN
'Thought-provoking, multi-layered and engaging, this one-woman show gives you much to dwell on.'
THE GUARDIAN
'A punchy and expertly performed response to today's increasingly political grotesquerie.'
AFRONALYSIS
'This is an important piece of dance theatre. It is authentic and honest but most importantly, it wills you to think for yourself.’
'Verdict: An exceptional piece of political theatre that speaks volumes without a word being said on the stage'.
THE BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE
'An unmissable treat.'
NOT TODAY'S YESTERDAY
Directed and Choreographed by Lina Limosani (Au)
Sound Design by Lina Limosani (Au)
Performed by Seeta Patel (UK)
Costume Design by Lydia Carson (UK)
Written by Sharmila Chauhan (UK)
Set Design by Chris Faulds (UK)
Lighting Design by Barnaby Booth (UK)
Dramaturgy by Kyra Herzfeld (Au)
Concept & Story by Seeta Patel (UK)
Australian Producer: Lina Limosani @ Limosani Projekts
PROMOTIONAL CLIP
VOX POPS
POLAND RESONSES
UK Tour April 2017
The Lowry Salford Quay Manchester / Warwick Arts Centre
Holden St Theatres
UK Touring 2019
The Place London / Waterman's Arts Centre / Kalasangam Bradford Yorkshire / Patrick Centre Birmingham / Guilbenkian Canterbury Kent / Edinburgh Fringe Festival / Brighton Festival.
International touring 2019
Bologna Italy / Natarani (Darpana) India,
Australia Touring 2020
Vitalstatistix Adelaide / Centenary Hall Goolwa / Riverside Youth Theatre Renmark
Asia Top Festival @ Shirly Burke Theatre Kingston, The Engine Room, Bendigo
Awards
GRAHAM SMITH PEACE FOUNDATION AWARD
Adelaide Fringe Festival (Winner)
BANK SA BEST IN DANCE AWARD
Adelaide Fringe Festival (Winner)
Supported by
Vox Pops
lina@limosaniprojekts.com
Copyright @ Lina Limosani 2024
Photo: Chris Herzfeld
Photos: Chris Herzfeld