Blood Water Paint by Macha Theatre Works

Using aerialists to portray two of the characters was the most flashy element of Blood Water Paint.  I can’t imagine any other way to perform their monologues that would be as effective.  The aerialist actors would glide up and down their silks, displaying strength, risk, physicality, vulnerability, and heroism – sometimes alternately, sometimes several of these at once.

The aerialists are Meredith Armstrong and Leah Jarvik, who play the Biblical figures Judith and Susanna who counsel and inspire with 17th century painter Artemisia Gentileschi, played by Bianca Raso.  These interactions take place outside the central timeline of the play and inside Artemisia’s creative soul. In return for their favors, Artemisia paints the two women on canvas, portraying them as only another woman could.  It’s storytelling inside of storytelling. 

In one memorably effective sequence, Susanna is speaking about having all eyes, particularly male eyes, on her, as she ascends the silk, putting herself on display.  She’s talking about the effect of being looked at, evaluated, objectified, perhaps.  Nevertheless, wisdom and beauty and grace accompany Susanna’s words. The moment the monologue ends, though it’s menace and creepiness as Agostino Tassi (Tim Gagne) strides into Artemisia’s studio and feasts his eyes on her.  He’s been hired by Artemisia’s father to be her tutor; he becomes her rapist. 

The use of aerialists was only one of many techniques director Amy Poisson used to great effect to tell this story. Another was simply having Gagne double as Holofernes, an Assyrian captain slain by Judith in defense of her town.  As the imaginary scene ends with Judith cutting off Holofernes’ head, lights flash, dim, and when they come up again, Gagne is lying in the same place, back to being Agostino, dozing on the window seat in Artemisia’s studio.  The evil remains, still menacing, still undefeated.  It made it clear that Artemisia would have to defeat Agostino in some way before she could have her life.

Blood Water Paint is filled with special moments like the ones I have described.  You have one more chance to see it on Sunday, October 6 at 12th Avenue Arts, produced by Macha Theatre Works. 


Photo by me of the front of the program.

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