WHEN WOMEN SPEAK OF WAR rallies against propaganda and apathy in solidarity with Ukraine

Musicians, writers, performers and storytellers reckon with war in a theatrical collaboration at The National Theatre in Melbourne.

Maria Tumarkin, co-curator of When Women Speak of War in the Sydney Morning Herald:

Art is not the panacea, but it might be the best antithesis to propaganda we have. It teaches us not to turn away. It disarms us. It brings us into close contact with shame and responsibility. It shows cynicism as cowardly because it is. It shows various forms of appeasement as disastrous because they are. Forget “never again!“. It’s gone. But our ability to witness, remember, refuse lies, resist violence, hold each other close, is not.

On Thursday 28th April at The National Theatre Melbourne and streamed live online, the Festival of Jewish Arts and Music (FOJAM) presents When Women Speak of War: Artists Reckon with Wars Declared and Hidden, co-curated with Ukrainian Jewish-Australian writer and cultural historian Maria Tumarkin, who was born and raised in Kharkiv.

With a palpable sense of urgency, a line-up of outstanding artists grapples with the trauma of genocide and war across distinct but deeply interrelated contexts.

Conceived of well before the invasion of Ukraine, this event has become an act of resistance: to the annihilation of nations, cultures, peoples with unique histories, but also to ideology, cynicism, compassion fatigue and dehumanisation in its many guises.

Coinciding with the close of this year’s Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) FOJAM brings together a world premiere of musicians, writers, performers and storytellers to share new work as well as reignite poems, songs and stories of the past.

When Women Speak of War brings together a searing line-up of artists from different musical, artistic and cultural experiences to create performances that each speak to the stories of women in war. This dynamic show includes new collaborations featuring spoken word, Sephardic Jewish Romance music with contemporary writing, folk music with cellist accompaniment, classical Ukrainian folksongs, original music by a local hip hop artist, Yiddish folk music with contemporary writing and multimedia projections with the traditional sounds of Sevdah (a genre of folk music originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina).

When Women Speak of War will stir up, honour, help you process and transport.

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Season Details

Venue: The National Theatre| Melbourne
Date: 28 Apr 2022

For more information click HERE