L'ombra del gelsomino *****

The marginalised of society walk among us – well, those who are able, anyway. L’ombra del Gelsomino (The Shadow of Jasmine) offers a glimpse into the lives of three such individuals, as we learn of their ostracisation from society and other challenges.

The production opens with three seated figures, obscured by veils. The reference to the witches in Macbeth is hard to ignore; indeed, as the production unravels, the protagonists’ fate seems to follow a predetermined path.

The setting is innately ambivalent. Are the trio in an afterlife, a dream state, or even in purgatory, expiating their societally perceived sins?

Livia (Federica Gurrieri) is a single mother. Through a modern lens, this may not appear to be a significant case for marginalisation. However, in many societies, this simple situation would place her beyond the boundaries of acceptability. In Livia’s case, her unmarried status is simply not tolerated, and her child is labelled a "mongoloid and a retard".

Andrea (Giovanni Peligra) is a teacher. He is homosexual and confined to a wheelchair. He wryly observes that while his sexuality renders him invisible to some elements of society, ironically his wheelchair serves to provide him with visibility. His sexuality causes him to be an outsider, while his physical handicap bleeds into the perception of him as a freak.

Rosaria (Alice Canzonieri), like so many women, carries the label of witch. While superstition and ignorance resulted in women’s persecution over the years (and in some parts of the world today, they are still hunted), there has often been a sinister subtext. They are a convenient scapegoat for some natural catastrophe. They posed a threat to the patriarchy and hierarchy, challenging esoteric medical or religious knowledge. When midwives were denounced and burnt, the preservation of income was a key factor.

There is a Proustian thread to the production. Rosaria says: “The real voyage of discovery does not consist in seeking new lands, but in having new eyes.” In other words, true discovery comes from an internal shift to change your perspective, rather than seeking external change. Andrea recognises this from À la recherche du temps perdu. Moreover, in Proust’s novel, memories are evoked by the smell of madeleine cakes. Jasmine is employed similarly in this production. It is symbolically used in different cultures and, in this case, serves as a metaphor for destiny, its scent lingering when all else has faded.

Art Evolution’s production has multi-faceted appeal. At its core, it carries a clear and prescient societal message regarding marginalisation. The staging is spectacular: brilliant use of light and sound provides a show whose visual splendour will live long in the memory. L’ombra del Gelsomino is a fluid blend of drama, dance, and physical theatre, and the quality of the performances is simply outstanding. The performers’ movement, physicality, stillness, and interactions are finely honed, as the production unravels viscerally, grippingly, and eloquently. Much credit goes to director Alessandro Romano.

The production makes the prescient observation that variance from the norm engenders fear, and that violence invariably follows. As Andrea remarks, “We are all prisoners of something” – in their case, society.