NASTY by the company (Maelstrom Art Collective). At Annex Theatre. July 9 at 2:15 pm, July 11 at 5:45 pm, July 12 at 4 pm, July 14 at 9:15 pm, July 15 at noon, July 16 at 9:15 pm. See listing. Rating: NNNN
This strong response to Trump’s now-infamous put-down of Clinton during the final presidential debate is a thought-provoking experimental ensemble piece that introduces audiences to 13 women from history and myth who have been derided at one point or another for being “nasty."
Through well-choreographed group movements that utilize the Annex Theatre’s twin staircases, and quick blasts of tag-team storytelling, the lives of remarkable female figures including seventh-century Chinese emperor Wu Zetian, prolific 16th-century Hungarian serial killer Elizabeth Báthory, 18th-century Black activist and abolitionist Sojourner Truth and Nazi concentration camp guard Irma Grese have their “nasty” legacies brought into focus and critically examined with an eye toward rethinking historical interpretations largely crafted by men.
Captivating visually and intellectually, Nasty is feminist history the Trump resistance needs.