Nomad

I saw this show yesterday and really enjoyed it. Well, 'enjoyed it' may not be the right term to use: I was disturbed and shaken by it. The feelings that this raw emotional performance evoke in the audience (confusion, embarrassment, excitement, boredom, curiosity, frustration) mirror those of most immigrants. I was to realise this towards the end of the show, when I found it difficult to hold back tears. The performer is extremely talented and has a lot to say. She manages to convey her emotions using only a few words, a few songs, and lots of brown paper. I thoroughly recommend that you see this show, especially if you are unfamiliar with the tragicomedy that is immigration from a 'third world' country.

The show begins while you are queuing, when the multi-talented solo performer, dressed as an officious immigration officer, goes down the line demanding name, passport, reason for travel, etc. This sets the tone for an inventive show, combining circus tricks, mime, dance, song and audience participation (I shan't spoil it by telling what I was prevailed upon to do), with just a few garments and copious amounts of brown paper that illustrate everything from faceless bureaucracy to the cardboard city of a migrant camp to a bridal train. Sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes hard to follow - deliberately so, I think, making us feel a two-way lack of understanding which is further enhanced by the protagonist's one-word interjections, as of someone with limited English. Different and thought-provoking, even (maybe especially) those bits that you don't 'get' instantly.

Really enjoyed Nomad. Intense, thought provoking and funny. Brilliant performance by Gözde! Highly recommended!

Saw this show today and found it thoroughly enjoyable. Well worth seeing.