Annalisa Limardi
Reviewed by Jack Grotenstein
A Hollywood Fringe Production at Eastwood Performing Arts Center
Through June 29
RECOMMENDED
It’s hard to know whether to call this production a one-person show, a dance, a piece of spoken word, or even a rap, but whatever it is – It works.
A show by Annalisa Limardi, NO was sent from the Fringe Milano Off Festival a partner of the Hollywood Fringe) where it garnered much praise. The show, about a woman discovering her place in the world and the difficulty and repercussions of saying “no” to certain things in life, explores Limardi’s identity, encounters with discrimination, sexual woes, and trauma, all of which were affected in some way by her choice to either stay obedient or fight back.
The choreography, a combination of turns and air DJing, grips you at the onset in its portrayal of the innocence of an uncorrupted child who constantly says ‘yes,’ even when she is visibly reluctant.
External pressures build and Limardi discovers a microphone upstage. The mic quickly transforms from a tool, arousing her and luring her in, to a character that controls her, bringing an onslaught of external judgement and criticism that send her (literally) spiraling.
The microphone, now a voice that she must answer to, governs her, provoking and aggravating Lamardi until she finally screams ‘no!’ At this point, though, she’s so much under the sway of the microphone that saying ‘no’ won’t let her escape. She quickly apologizes, then asks the audience to be excused, citing her own inability to excuse herself.
Following a harrowing series of encounters, the show’s final moment arrives. The lights come up, and Limardi delivers an impactful resolution, regarding the audience as if they were old friends, grateful to have at least one connection that isn’t exploitative or unhealthy. In the next moment, the gratitude expressed in her bow feels more like she’s thanking us for being there for her, rather than us congratulating her on a show well done.
The show is inherently free form, but one can’t help but wonder if an insightful and collaborative director might help refine Limardi’s arc and demonstrate the impact that the power of ‘no’ has. As, is, the story is nonetheless intense and genre-bending, Limardi’s impressive movement involves physical contortions that often appear involuntary, as if, like her voice, they are being controlled by an external force. The sound design is excellent, and the cues are tight, giving the show a sort of magical, exploratory ambiance.
Eastwood Performing Arts Center (Main Space), 1089 N Oxford Ave, East Hollywood. Fri., June 27, 5:30 pm and Sun., June 29, 4:30 pm. https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/11855?tab=details, Running time: approximately 35 minutes
