Yasmeen Godder Company in Budapest

Szabolcs Szunyogh
18.04.2003

One of Budapest’s most important cultural institiutions today, the Trafo in Liliom Street, regularly presents regenrative efforts in the most varied fields of arts, so for instance eurhythmic theater, picture shows, concerts drama or right now, a dance show.
Hall- is the name under which the Yasmeen Godder Company presents its show.  Nothing is harder to describe in words a creation of art that is built expressly on non-verbal communication. the story the choreography suggest seems to be this: There is a room; its not quite clear what sort of a room it is, maybe a coffee bar of sixties, maybe just the space of our life.Is this room there are two men and a woman who, by evoking, acting out their fantasies, seem to try and conjure something. Who struggle for something, of for someone, or against someone. Nothing is clear, but everything is unambiguous. Not to be rendered in everyday language, yet it is all most suggestive, and if one may use this old-fashioned expression, it grips the heart.
This struggle has undoubtedly erotic elements, the men as if mere resonators to feminine desires, yet these feminine desires are not in the least bound solely to the erotic: they are bound to life as a whole. Human dissatisfaction, emotional storms, ruthlessness in the fight for ourselves, and against ourselves whirl in the dance, which is, of course, not a dance. If needs to be stressed that the dancers are not dancers only: they are both marvelous acrobats and wonderful actors at the same time. Psychology springs to life in this world of movement, roles conflict, often resulting in absurd jumble and collision of our emotions and reflexes. Here I must admit that I could experience what I should have never believed possible: Trans- lingual ( pre- lingual, supra-lingual, infra-lingual) communication works not only in the drama, it works most effectively in humor as well.
What is inexpressible can be expressed, we might venture to say that it is possible to render fleeting, momentary, high strung, sensitive yet accurate aspects of human inter-relations, as may perhaps be found in Chechov’s prose or Apollinaire’s poetry only .
We look forward to seeing Yasmeen Godder Company in Budapest next year,in hope that they will both have means and time for more performances. This excellent and deeply moving show, made us feel as being participants of contemporary live art.