During my time as a reviewer, and before that an avid theatre-goer, I have seen many and varied productions, taking in styles and genres of performance both traditional and ultra-modern / experimental. However, I must admit that this evening's performance of Post at Home, presented as part of their Orbit Festival, was unlike anything I had ever seen before; it was utterly unique, strange, but ultimately I left the theatre pondering one question; was what I had just witnessed even able to be classed as 'theatre'? - and even now as I write this review, I am still not sure.
In his first solo performance, and his first time in Manchester, Xavier (surname unknown) from a small town in central Portugal was seen dancing a traditional Portuguese dance from the Minho region as we entered. He was dressed all in black, wearing a black hat, a black skirt, and was barefoot. A table is placed centre stage and on one side another table with food cooking, bread, crockery and alcohol!
His opening gambit was to ask us all to try and pronounce his name correctly and then proceeded to tell us a little about himself. He then spent a long time talking to individual audience members - small talk - getting to know some information about them and where they lived, etc... His intention was to host a dinner party. The whole show in fact , was just that - him hosting one large dinner party - Portuguese style. The lighting was very poor - he was completely unlit once he came amongst us and even the stage lighting seemed insufficient - perhaps to give an ambience of 'dinner party' - but cast odd shadows. He also needed to speak a lot louder. His projection throughout the show was very weak.
Once he had spoken with many audience members he told us about the meal he was preparing for us. A vegetarian variation of a traditional Portuguese soup 'Caldo Verde', a Portuguese liqueur Coushatta, and traditional Green Wine. We learned about the region where the soup was predominant and were told that we would all get to try some if we wanted.
The performance then took a diversion from the hosting game, and asking for a volunteer from the audience he dressed her in a peasant costume and asked her to slice some raw cabbage into thin strips with her hands whilst he talked about 'The Returned' - the people who were the descendants of the great Portuguese explorers and settlers from the once vast and proud 'empire' who had come back to Portugal to live, but were treated as outcasts and vagrants. I assume the simile here was to compare these people with the way Syrians and other refugees are being treated in our society. He said that both his parents were 'Returned'.
Xavier then spent a very long time in meticulously setting the table for four. Not a word was spoken, no music was playing, we just sat watching and waiting until he finally - completely unrushed - was satisfied with the setting.
Four audience members were then invited to sit and eat with him as guests and they did so, being served the soup and the wine, whilst the coushatta was passed through the audience. This is then where once again, the evening became very political. Xavier had pre-prepared questions for the dinner party guests to ask each other...
'What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism?'
'What is national identity?'
'National symbols have been appropriated from the colonies and wars and used now in ways which reinforce current colonial structures within our society, yet the voices of those cultures have yet to be given a platform. Discuss'
'How many migrants have been given a platform in mainstream media or been asked about Brexit?'
'Was there ever a time when you felt welcome in this country?'
'When you move somewhere is the onus on you or others to make you fit in?'
...and more!
These questions and other pertinent pieces of information were displayed on a screen behind the dining table.
It was clear suddenly why he had chosen the four people he had - all four were either foreigners themselves or had foreign parents.- in fact a very large majority of the audience this evening were non-British.
The problem with this scenario was that although he had strategically placed small microphones on the table's edge, the voices were still far too quiet. Sadly I missed 90% of the conversation from here on in, and it became introvert and voyeuristic. It was also not Xavier's play any more, he was simply serving the food / questions and the four audience members became the actors.
Whilst the questions and discussion was happening. Xavier served soup to those that wanted it in the audience. Insisting that he be a good host.
There was a final 'round-up' "this is the message" speech at the end of the play which was given to one of the 4 diners to read - thus I heard absolutely nothing of it except something about the red on the Portuguese flag representing blood.
It was clear by the end of this 110 minute affair that he was using his origin and his culture to impose upon us his own political thinking about the treatment of foreigners and Brexit. Certainly not theatre in any traditional sense of the word, and not a performance by a solo artiste either since he needed to use and involve the audience in his antics, allowing them to create the show for him - at least in the second half of the experience. It was contentious, opinionated, controlled, and all done with a sweet and sickly smile which said, 'Aren't I just the best host - please do enjoy my traditional food and drink!'
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 23/10/18
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