Ecstasy with the Pomegranate by Ilkhom Theatre culturally enlightening

Ecstasy with the Pomegranate by Ilkhom Theatre culturally enlightening

by E. Joyce Glasgow - SGN A&E Writer Ecstasy with the Pomegranate ACT Theatre April 13 Ecstasy with the Pomegranate was the second production that Tashkent Uzbekistan's Ilkhom Theatre presented during their guest stay at ACT. It was inspired by the true story of Russian painter Aleksandr Nikolaev, a student of the fantastic, early 20th-century "Suprematist" artist, Kasimir Malevich. Nikolayev took refuge in 1916-1917 in Uzbekistan, preceding the Russian revolution, and fell in love with the Uzbeki Sufi culture, so much so that he converted to Islam while there, adopting the name Usto Mumim. He was especially enchanted with the art of Bacha, a traditional Uzbek dance form in which men performed as women. This centuries-old tradition was abolished after the revolution and the rise of Stalin. In the 1930s, Nikolaev painted a series of "Bacha Boys" paintings. Some of these lovely, graceful images were on display in the ACT Theatre lobby. This play provided a window into an interesting period of history when old cultural traditions bumped up against the new Soviet ideas of society as Uzbekistan was inhabited by Russian Soviet military stationed in Tashkent. The teenaged, androgynous Bacha Boys danced for men in Uzbek teahouses. Women were not allowed to dance in public, so the boys - with their smooth skin and sensual, supple bodies - performed sinewy, hypnotic, feminine dances. The undercurrent of homosexual desires represented in the Bacha tradition was quietly acceptable in the Uzbek culture, but proved to be a challenge to the Soviets in the play. On the one hand, in the play, we see some of the Soviet military men drawn to the beauty of these boys and on the other, plagued by guilt for feeling this longing for Gay encounters. The play ably conveyed the painful, radical changes brought about by major events of the early 20th Century. The play was performed in Russian and the Uzbek language with English supertitles. I felt as though I learned a lot about a period and place that I didn't know much about before. I found that very positive and it left a lasting impression on me. The performers of Ilkhom are very fine and passionate actors, bringing the characters to life with commitment. However, I found the piece entirely too long at two hours and 45 minutes. There was an incredible amount of fast-moving dialogue, making it difficult to concentrate on watching the actors perform, having to constantly keep my eyes on the supertitles to not miss anything. It was a very interesting story but I do feel that it could have been edited in a way that the play would keep its integrity while providing a more streamlined and cohesive presentation. I enjoyed Ilkhom's first piece at ACT, White White Black Stork, much more. It had a simpler storyline, with a more universal theme, which was easier to follow and allowed us to watch the actors more than the supertitles. Its presentation was pure and distilled, capturing the essence of the play perfectly. I was thrilled that ACT brought this wonderful company all the way from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Seattle audiences were truly privileged to be able to experience these beautiful artists. For more information about Ilkhom Theatre, visit www.ilkhom.com. For upcoming events at ACT visit: www.acttheatre.org.