From Denmark, Down the Rabbit Hole Theatre and Mexican non binary performance artist Nova Duh turn the Summerhall Dissection Room into a Night Club for the afternoon, in their haunting political cabaret, The Disappeared.
This is a unique, immersive experience in which the audience follows the artiste around a cavernous performance space. Prepare to be on your feet for 70 minutes as there are no seats in this venue! And the narrative is non linear, which is difficult to follow at times, so pay attention!
The fun begins with a tribute to Nova’s sexuality in the form of a risqué burlesque, followed by the anointing of their unclothed body at a candle lit altar. A quiet intimate moment, this is the sacred following the profane – an act which seems to be both a purification and an acknowledgement, that the liberation of the Latinx body is a personal and a political concern.
As the mood lightens, they re-dress in black lingerie, there’s some chit chat with the bartender, and we acknowledge Nova’s Mexican roots. Then the ever present MD/DJ/MC Josh, takes to the piano to accompany Nova in a rousing Spanish anthem, challenging homophobia in the southern state of Chiapas, where Nova grew up.
Moving towards the middle of the floor, we travel back in time to elementary school in 1994 when Zapatistas with guns are leading a revolt in the streets of San Cristobal de las Casas. But as a child Nova only gathers misinformation from grown ups and doesn’t understand that the masked men outside are actually heroes fighting against a corrupt government.
At this point, dates and locations proceed to get muddled. There are more songs, more chit chat, stories and dances, audience participation, palm readings, games, a conga line and a “cacerolazo” protest, with the audience sitting in a circle, banging pots and pans. There are also allusions to childhood trauma.
But then significantly, while travelling around South America, Nova is struck by memorials to the “victims of state terrorism” in Buenos Aires, which list the names of those who went missing in Argentina during the Military Dictatorship from 1976 to 1983, when an estimated 10,000 – 30,000 dissidents were killed, including many who were targeted because they were queer. It is an emotional moment which compels Nova to prepare this performance piece, reflecting their own experience.
So we go back to in Santiago in 2019 where Nova is now a resident and enjoying full freedom of expression.
2019 saw major political unrest, riots and the imposition of curfews in the cities of Chile. Despite recent human rights legislations the LGBTQI + community was scapegoated by the right wing government, with increasing police violence against queer people either encouraged or ignored. Many were arrested, some died and others like Nova were forced into exile.
We are invited to a Vogue Ball in a Santiago club, where categories are, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Of course legendary sex siren Nova walks in each category and wins all the prizes. As they bask in our applause, some hypnotic EDM starts to play and it is not long before the entire audience is dancing. It seems like a fun way to finish the show, with young and old, queer and straight, grooving to cool techno beats, but wait…
“The dictatorships in South America have not ended.”
An unforgettable afternoon of physical theatre, that is both a celebration and a warning of how quickly queer freedoms can be eliminated.
Edinburgh Fringe
Summerhall Dissection Room
Daily at 1.45pm until 25th August
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