LaMama presents 'MDLSX' an 80-minute performance/monologue/ DJ set performed by the award-winning actress Silvia Calderoni on the nature of identity (sexual and otherwise.)
... Read more'MDLSX' weaves autobiography and literary evocations in a wild and fervent paean to the freedom of becoming, to gender-blending, to a being that cannot be contained within the borders of the body, skin color, sexual organs, or boundaries of national identity.
Silvia Calderoni’s outrageous theatrical trip defies categories, including the artistic ones, in a bravura performance that exists on the edges, visible and invisible, physical and emotional.
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- 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Already closed
- La MaMa / Ellen Stewart Theatre (East Village)
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Reviews (6)
5 Critics' Reviews
"Calderoni must be made of mercury, or some improbably liquid element that has yet to be discovered. Surely no body of mortal flesh could undergo the quicksilver transformations achieved by this remarkable performer in 'MDLSX'...The switch in perspective feels of a piece with Motus’s aim of pulling the comfortable rug out from beneath its audience...But I wonder if such literary appropriation was necessary. The production delivers its message most effectively without words." Full Review
"Visually spectacular solo show starring Silvia Caderoni, a member of the Italian experimental troupe Motus...Whether or not the performer/character’s gender identity confuses them, theatergoers are likely to leave 'MDLSX' exhilarated." Full Review
"Silvia Calderoni is a remarkable performer akin to watching a spastic, panting lizard jugging full speed on a treadmill...Her beautiful, hideous performance makes MDLSX sustain itself through a somewhat tedious 80 minutes, compromised mostly of reading English text from the back wall while occasionally glancing to the purposefully meditative, numbing video." Full Review
"Bold, visually stimulating performance art. The power of 'MDLSX' is its ability to capture strange and sublime tableaus…Co-directors Casagrande and Nicolo’s staging is tight and energetic. They wisely control the pacing of the show, never allowing it to slow down or over-exert itself…'MDLSX' is required viewing for anyone interested in multimedia expression, gender identity, and boundary-destroying performance art." Full Review
"The theatrical experience was second only to Silvia Calderoni’s raw and risky performance....The use of the hand-held camera was both provocative and intimate but at times it created a wall making it harder to empathize during some of the more intimate moments...A beautiful and profoundly moving story...The experience was intellectually challenging with many moments that moved me to tears." Full Review
1 Members' Review
See it if You are behind the curve on gender and sexuality issues (it's slightly dated for La MaMa) and seek a visually striking coming of age story.
Don't see it if Your Italian is inadequate & you have issues with supertitles or you don't care to be reminded there are gender variations in the world.