PUSSY RIOT: RIOT DAYS

Auckland Town Hall, Auckland

22/02/2019 - 22/02/2019

Auckland Fringe 2019

Production Details


Pussy Riot need little introduction, the Russian protest art collective have been one of the most important voices of protest in the last 10 years.

Gaining global notoriety in 2012 when three members, Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich were imprisoned for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” for their performance inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Pussy Riot has become synonymous with rebellion and freedom of expression.

The touring performance Pussy Riot: Riot Days merges punk, electronica, theater, documentary footage and protest. It is an  accompanying piece to Alyokhina’s memoir Riot Days, 

This is a live event you do not want to miss!

“Riot Days is more than just a gig – it’s somewhere between a gripping piece of Putin-skewering musical theatre, an urgent jazz-punk book recital and a film screening that unfurls like a nerve-shredding thriller.” — The Guardian

One night only as part of Auckland Live’s Fringe Town, a four day Auckland Fringe extravaganza in the Auckland Town Hall. and the world premiere of 5-piece lineup, where music core of “initial” Pussy Riot band – KOT and NASTYA AWOTT – join forces with Riot Days book author, frontwoman MASHA ALEKHINA, Belarus actor Kiryl MASHEKA and trumpet player OLEG LARIONOV.

Presented by Auckland Live

 Wellington based anarchopunk band, Unsanitary Napkin will be opening for Pussy Riot.

Doors will open at 20:00
Support Act: 20:15 – 20:45 
Pussy Riot: 21:00 – 22:20

Tickets:

$60

Accessibility:

Accessible seating available
Language no problem: performance is in Russian with English surtitles

Content Warnings:

15+
Adult themes, Strobe and smoke may be used

The Auckland show is the world premiere of 5-piece lineup, where music core of “initial” Pussy Riot band - KOT and NASTYA AWOTT - join forces with Riot Days book author, frontwoman MASHA ALEKHINA, Belarus actor Kiryl MASHEKA and trumpet player OLEG LARIONOV.


For background see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pussy_Riot  and http://pussy-riot.livejournal.com/


Pussy Riot
Maria Alyokhina – performer


Kiryl Masheka – performer


Anastasia Ashitkova – performer


KOT – musicians


Oleg Larionov – musician


Vasily Bogatov – VJ


Taisia Krugovykh – director, sound, video footage


Alexander Cheparukhin -  Producer, subtitles


Diminty Tsorionov – Technical Director

Spectacle , Political satire , Physical , Performance installation , Music , Multi-discipline , Theatre ,

130 mins

Anyone can be Pussy Riot...

Review by Derek Tearne 23rd Feb 2019

Anyone can be Pussy Riot.
 
I arrived at the Town Hall, ready for an evening of multimedia performance art. The long line of people standing in the rain at the entrance, with security searching through bags, checking ID and applying shiny single use plastic wristbands, made me wonder if I had come to the wrong performance. Perhaps this was all part of the experience, a mild introduction to the experience of living in a totalitarian state? This was quite different from the night before, where patrons arriving to see MOTH or the APO perform Gershwin were treated in a far more standard manner for an evening of festival performance. The hall for Pussy Riot was configured as standing room only, as if ready for a mega dance party.  
 
The first act, Unsanitary Napkin, did not help with the general feeling of being at the wrong show. Very much a stereotypical punk band. Performing fast, furious short unintelligible songs, which are brief but unrelenting – the latter being the only quality they share with Pussy Riot. They would have been perfect as an opener for one of the many currently touring punk bands from the late 20th century, but seem a strange choice to open for a performance by a sophisticated performance art collective. Again I wonder if I had come to the wrong performance. 
 
After a short break, the producer Alexander Cheparukhin introduces ‘Riot Days’. He explains that, although some people think of Pussy Riot as a punk band, they are a performance art collective with many members. It feels like he is also puzzled by the choice of support act. He also briefly takes us through the history of the collective, the events leading up to the famous ‘punk prayer’ protest and subsequent arrests. He also describes the ongoing work this particular sub group of Pussy Riot are doing for prisoners rights in Russia. I begin to feel that I am in the right place after all.  
 
Maria “Masha” Alyokhina presents her story, from the initial idea of protest, through arrest, trial, prison and release. She is joined by four musicians, two of whom are original members of the collective. The minimalist sound score performed on drums, electronica, sax and trumpet, is closer to electro-jazz than punk. The pieces are long, each one supporting a different section of the narrative. Above the performers, a large screen shows supporting video, punctuated by slogans. “Anyone can be Pussy Riot” – at this point I wonder where I have left my balaclava  – “Revolution requires a big screen”, “Putin peed his pants” – a reference to one of their better known songs. Underneath the video feed there are constant and necessary subtitles. The emotional weight of the story is carried by the rapidly spoken narrative, shared between the performers.  The performers also dance, simple repetitive choreography, adding energy and emotion while still supporting the narrative. For one section the performers wear masks, including the trademark balaclava.
 
The experience is very dense, engaging every sense. There is not a lot of light and shade, with the dynamic rapidly rising to a saturated level and staying there for most of the performance. It is relentless, I would say necessarily so. The relentlessness allows one to connect with the story in a visceral way. 
 
Performance at this level of sensory saturation brings with it a risk of overloading the audience. Most of the audience watch attentively, with the occasional clenched fist raised at appropriate moments.
 
A few stalwarts dance to the more rhythmically compelling pieces, but I wonder if other audience members are, like myself, wondering why the seats were removed from the auditorium.

As the narrative unfolds we realise that Masha has lived and suffered for her art in ways most of us cannot imagine. Despite the chilling descriptions of abuse and injustice, there is a surprising amount of humour. The descriptions of the trial are almost comic. 


Art is often political, and it is necessary for society that political art is made. It is however rare, inspiring, and a privilege to see a performance by people who have made, and continue to make, work of this kind despite the very personal consequences. 

’40 seconds of crime’, led to 2 years in prison where Masha was abused and mistreated. She has become stronger because of it, and has found a way to remain free no matter what her circumstances are. The performance ends with a challenge to the audience “Are you?”

Anyone can be Pussy Riot.

I remember now where I left my balaclava, and wonder if it is time to get a new one.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

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