Review: Porno Death Cult by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg
Outrageous, awesome, inspiring, quirky, bold, unapologetic, endearing – the list of adjectives that can adequately describe Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg is endless.
As a dancer, choreographer, actor, and all around artistic genius, Tara’s one-woman performance, Porno Death Cult, on this weekend at Vancouver’s Firehall Arts Centre was truly a spectacular interruption from the humdrum of everyday life.
Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg. Photo Credit: Wendy D.
Tara began the show with movements that were grotesque, spastic, and almost other-worldly. Face covered in a blanket of thick brown hair, she was a close resemblance to the terrifying creature from the once-popular movie The Ring. Imagine then the audience’s surprise when she then dropped this guise only to take on the persona of timid, lonely Maureen – a woman desperate to be filled with the light of the lord.
Multiple personalities turned into a recurring motif in the hour-long performance, including visits from a self-obsessed yoga instructor, an overbearing preacher, and God who, in an evening focused on the exploration of faith and faithlessness, seemed to fit right in. Truly astounding was the ease through which Tara seemed to slip in and out of each persona. It’s clear that these are characters that have received extensive thought and planning.
Even with a host of fantastic theatrical elements in play – funky lighting by designer James Proudfoot and an oh-so fun to look at makeshift altar as the set – Tara’s signature wit and humour still stole the show. Gosh this girl is funny!
Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg. Photo Credit: Wendy D.
Porno Death Cult runs for two more nights and is a definite contender for top spot in this weekend’s over-abundance of incredible dance performances in Vancouver. Get your tickets ASAP, because judging by last night’s packed house, they won’t last long.
Porno Death Cult runs at the Firehall Arts Centre until March 8.
Categories: Musings