NADIA MIGDAL
actress/performer/theater creator
ORIGIN OF THE WORLD
a site-spezific and immersive theater performance
Inspired by motives from the comic "Fruit of Knowledge" by Liv Strömquist
created by Uri Fahndrich and Nadia Migdal and co-creator Hadar Dimand
Originally located in a former strip club in Tel Aviv, ORIGIN OF THE WORLD is a journey through the cultural history of the vulva, a laboratory that explores the myths surrounding the "female sex organ" and exposes the structures of repression of female pleasure. A haptic performance that joyfully deconstructs stereotypes and a reality that we are all too certain of, and exposes mechanisms of patriarchal conditioning.
In 1972, NASA sent an aluminum plaque into space aboard the Pioneer probe so that extraterrestrial life could get an idea of where and who their senders were. The plaque is engraved with, among other things, a naked man and a naked woman. The genitals of the man are shown, those of the woman are not. Did NASA think it was too obscene for aliens to get an idea of a woman's vulva?
This incident inspired the framing narrative of the theater performance.
Somewhere in space, from an alien planet, sexless beings make their way to Earth to meet those who sent them this message. Their UFO lands on the Kikar Atarim. They quickly realize that something is wrong with the drawing and begin their investigation. Why is one creature not depicted correctly? What secret is hidden behind it?
Inside the UFO, which has been turned into a laboratory, the audience is invited to dive into the vulva worship of prehistoric times, to meet seven men who were too interested in female genitalia, to discover an extraordinary organ, as well as blue menstrual blood.
An ensemble of 3 actors*, a dancer and an opera singer tempts the audience, to see themselves and the world through the eyes of the aliens.
Participants:
Nadia Migdal - concept, artistic direction and acting
Uri Fahndrich - concept, artistic direction and acting
Hadar Dimand - co-creator and writer
Béatrice Larrivée - choreography and dance
Noam Barmat - acting
Liron Givony - soprano
Tom Golovner – costumes and set
Inbal Lehavi - dramaturgy
Yuval Shenhar - original music and sound design
Yael Skidelsky - costume manufacturing/tailoring
Misha Shimberg - lighting design
Matvey Kakovkin - video art and sound operator
Liza Shkolnik - production manager
Maor Michaelove - graphic design of the poster
Dolev Isaac - photography
Ilya Marcus - video documentation
the PREMIERE took place on 23.11.2022
Reactions from the audience:
A unique, exposed and authentic experience!! It took me on a fascinating journey around the attitude, the shame towards and in general the history of the female genital organ. It was refreshing because it is a subject that is still considered taboo and somehow always censored. The whole "experiment" was a very original way to take the audience on a trip to these "unpleasant" worlds in an active and thought-provoking way.
Hila Ben Gera, writer and director
An unusual theater performance in the way it seeks to meet the audience that does not sit in one place but moves from station to station and is actively exposed to concepts that have shaped the world of humanity almost since the dawn of history. Art, movement, acting, video, and singing make the audience a part of the show itself. It's an hour and a half of a fascinating meeting with contents that stimulate internal and external dialogue. We left the show with the feeling that we had a fascinating, brave and special experience in theatrical expression. A show that stays in your thoughts and maybe even in your body even after it's over.
Ariela Bahalul-Dimand, writer
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