A moving fusion of storytelling mediums to honour truth, legacy, family and self discovery
Upon entering the intimate Burton Taylor studio, awash with softly glowing orange light and Victor Esses smiling kindly at his audience, I instantly felt a sort of comforting nostalgia. Enrico Aurigemma’s ambient guitar soundscape eased us into reflective introspection, and remained a stunning underscore throughout the piece. From the offset, Esses created an atmosphere of connection and shared moments, leaving space for thought.
Projections of Esses’ musings about an unavoidable, inexplicable connection to his great aunt, Marcelle, fill the walls. We read his story in peaceful quiet, sharing laughter at the charming jokes woven in. Then we are invited to participate in a game of ‘never have I ever’, and Esses draws us effortlessly closer with his openness and ease. Snippets of his story begin to unfold, asking ‘have you ever met an Italian Jew?’ and ‘have you ever felt drawn to someone but you didn’t know why?’.
We soon meet this figure in Esses’ life, as tender, personal projections of Marcelle’s face collage the walls- an immediately elegant and perceptive figure. Though from 20 years ago, these home-video recordings clearly still remain a precious bank of insight to his family’s past for Esses. He presents them to us brimming with pride; Marcelle’s brave and difficult journey from Judaism to Catholicism to secure the love of her life and hiding her heritage from her children is undeniably a moving story. Esses reflects on how this straying from expectation empowered him to embrace his identity as a gay Jewish man, simultaneously encouraging us to accept the parts of ourselves we may believe are better hidden.
There were times when these snippets of a recollected past did not thread together into a cohesive linear narrative, which meant the pace and plot were somewhat impeded. However, a key motif within the work was how narratives are inevitably warped, shifting and enhanced when retold, so to retell a perfect, factual story is impossible. This exploration of truth and storytelling was interesting, however a greater focus on drawing together the separate moments within the piece would perhaps result in a greater engagement and emotional journey from the audience.
The stunning visual aesthetics created through simple lighting and set techniques were a highlight of the piece throughout. Esses elevated the visuals at the end of the piece by placing a Tarboush hat that had been hanging expectantly above him on his head, and slowly, tentatively beginning to dance. It was as if all the snippets of his musings and discoveries were finally beginning to fall into place, imperfectly but with immense love and determination. There was an honesty, playfulness and authenticity to this piece you don’t often see in theatre, making it feel special despite the sometimes incoherent storyline.