SARAI, a new production by theatre company Crying in the Wilderness, directed by Paul Anthony Morris, is a one character play and one woman's story of freedom, politics, war, motherhood and destiny.Sarai is barren. Despite the prophecy which proclaimed her to be a mother of a “great nation” her attempts to fall pregnant are unsuccessful. As Sarai embarks on a journey filled with signs and metaphors she learns more about the importance of her own womanhood and comes closer to understanding the real meaning of the prophecy.
The production’s strengths lies in the visually stimulating, movement-oriented moments. Accompanied by live music from a quartet, “Sarai” treats the audience to many imaginative ways of conveying it's story. The times when Sarai dances to the hypnotic live score work better than the dense text, full of poetic and allegorical nuances.
Karina Grace-Paseda as Sarai is mesmerizing when it comes to telling the story via her body, alas when it comes to delivering lines she seems to be get buried by the weight of the words. I also struggled with the lack of pace or shape to the piece, there is no crescendo or climax to the evening's slow burn.
This is an interesting attempt to combine movement, live music and storytelling in an almost performance-art ambience but its message gets lost during the many slow passages.
“Sarai” plays at The Arcola until the 7th of November. For tickets go to www.arcolatheatre.com
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