Thursday 13 October 2011

Journeys of Love and More Love, Oct 12, 2011 ***

Journeys of Love and More Love ***
Created and performed by Ali Zaidi, by motiroti, Melbourne Festival
Arts House, Meat Market, Oct 11- 16, 2011
Reviewed by: Kate Herbert on Oct 12, 2011
Published in Herald Sun on Oct 14, 2011 and on line at heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/arts

JOURNEYS OF LOVE AND MORE LOVE, a gentle evening of oral and visual storytelling about immigration, displacement, difference and love, is accompanied by an extraordinary, culinary collection of spiced treats.

We are seated at large round tables, served wine and treated like guests at a family occasion hosted by Ali Zaidi.

He strolls like a roving minstrel amongst tables, spinning tales of his childhood in Bombay, his family’s move to Pakistan and his eventual immigration to London.

Zaidi’s personal stories of displacement and difference are illustrated with elaborate, vivid and evocative digital imagery incorporating Zaidi’s travels, family, friends and lovers, and interviews with people telling their stories of immigration.

During several interludes, we are served Zaidi’s own menu of gaspingly exotic, flavoursome morsels, each a vividly coloured, perfectly designed, individual artwork.

Zaidi’s stories are interesting but the narrative craves dramatic structure, a clearer narrative thread that links the concepts of displacement and love or explores them in greater depth.

Feeding people is a sign of love so we leave Journeys with a sense of wellbeing and pleasure.


  Melbourne Festival
Arts House, Meat Market, Oct 11- 16, 2011
Stars:***

No comments:

Post a Comment