[star rating =4/5]
Twa is “two solo shows in one”, a collaboration between writer Annie George and visual artist Flore Gardner, who couple a mix of memoir and storytelling with live drawing in a powerful performance piece which explores women’s issues and silenced voices.
“Some of it is true, but everything is real” George tells the audience at the Scottish Storytelling centre on the closing night of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival; she splits her semi-autobiographical prose with the story of Philomela from Greek Mythology, blending the story of her silencing with the reality of her own story.
Digital animation is displayed centre stage, and visible to the audience is the response from Gardner to the narrative and themes of George’s text; intrinsic to adding colour to the imagery conveyed fluently by George’s messages.
Despite her remaining silent, her response offers a voice of its own, giving a perspective outwith that of the invited guests and of George’s.
Both poetic and acerbic George is able to hold the audience with her tale of finding “creative resistance”; she transcends the dark areas of her work with sharp delivery, often creating a height of tension simply with her tone and delivery.
Composer and Sound Designer NIROSHINI THAMBAR added to the aesthetics of the piece, creating an eerie atmosphere and melody which complimented the innovative Visual Dramaturg of JAN BEE BROWN.
Twa is often dark, vulnerable and unforgiving; a story that metamorphoses into a tale of strength and liberation performed by two true professionals.
