Achinoam Mendelsohn’s debut work premiered in 2022 at the Akko fringe theatre festival, where it won the best play and directing award. Having entered our repertoire, we are thrilled and excited to open a new year with a festive first performance in Hazira Theatre, Jerusalem.
In her poetic horror ritual, Mendelson oscillates between the sensual-pagan realm and the autobiographical sphere. She burns a sacrificial lamb – the Great Mother, who is not only a symbol but also her own personal mother, who has been a devout worshipper at the altar of theatre her entire life. On her journey to reclaim the stage and the theatre, Mendelson uses everything but the kitchen sink: excerpts from classical plays, musical traditions, a purloined taxidermy crow, and a chandelier of mysterious origin.
“Mom took me to a show. “You’ll love it, it has masks.”
An actor in a mask got off the stage and started going through the audience.
I was four.
He had a huge grin plastered across his face.
I tried to disappear into my seat, but he reached out, swung me in the air and declared: “Found it!” My limbs dangled all over the place and I screamed “Down!” The audience laughed in delight.
My mom also laughed. “No need to panic,” she’d always say. “It’s only theatre.”
Achinoam Mendelson is a multidisciplinary artist, director, musician, and performer. She creates theatre, video art, and works for the public space, and collaborates with other artists as a performer, musician, and dramaturg. Her works have been featured, among others, at Hanut31 Theatre, Hazira, Habait Theatre, and Jerusalem Festival. She holds a BA from Shalem College (2017), and graduated from the School of Visual Theatre. Mendelson is a member of the Quantum Choir ensemble and Gal Amoyal’s Ensemble. She co-curated with Shira Segal cultural events in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, co-founded with Nurit Dreamer a performance incubator for Orthodox women at HaTurim Arts Center, and taught performance at the Oman Center for Visual Arts for the Ultra-Orthodox public.
The show contains nudity.
