LANDSFRAU is a German noun which translates roughly to “fellow countrywoman” or “compatriot.” Performed by Mariann Yar, LANDSFRAU is a moving piece of political performance art which explores exactly this. Through a fusion of theatre, poetry, music, and dance, Yar delves into her experience of diaspora through a pertinently feminist lens.
At the beginning of the performance, the audience is placed under the spotlight and Yar transforms the auditorium into a poetry class. What slowly unravels through audience participation is a story of Ariana, a young girl who grows up in Germany and, in the wake of 9/11, experiences bouts of suspicion and racism. What I found most interesting in the beginning of the performance was the repeated callbacks to Ariana’s father who was glued to the TV displaying his own country’s history unravelling behind hundreds of pixels.
However, the main power of this performance for me was the subversion of typical theatrical norms in which the audience’s and performers’ boundaries collapse. Yar invites the audience to join her on an array of air mattresses which are scattered across the stage. Slowly, the audience disperses, leaving behind their assigned seats. This transforms LANDSFRAU from an individual performance to an exploration of the role of community in what can feel like a very polarising political media. At this point, Yar introduced herself individually and encouraged the audience to get to know each other as well. Alongside direct address and a bright spotlight, this technique was confronting and effectively communicated Yar’s experience of how her identity so often felt ascribed to her by others. While I felt the pacing sometimes struggled in earlier sections, here the real depth of the performance was revealed.
Through transfixing storytelling, Yar begins reciting traditional Afghan poetry and the, now banned, resistance songs. These were beautiful and became a potent reminder of the utility of art as a tool for political resistance. This follows on from a rich history of female Afghan poets, just like Yar herself with this innovative and provoking performance.
LANDSFRAU is running until 31 August at Tech Cube Zero at Summerhall. Buy tickets here.
Image credit —Cornelius Reitmayr, provided to The Student for press use.
