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Loneliness in old age affects 2/3 of people. What can we do if we only have a dialogue with ourselves? A dancer - choreographer and a puppet-master work together on memories and remembering.

The performance is based on movement without text, gestures and puppet theatre elements. The aim of Rita Gobi and Tamás Somogyi is to look at ageing, loneliness and the question of facing memories with humour and humanity, and to make the audience to think about the period of life that will come in all of our lives.

When we see an elderly person, can we imagine what they have been through? What was it like when he was young? What goals and opportunities did he have, what kind of life did he live? Can the older self connect with the young self, or does the ageing of the body take the soul and spirit with it? The themes of the performance are ageing, loneliness and memory.

„Góbi is a fantastic performer who can make any spectator believe what she wants them to, she had me immediately as well in her old lady outfit rummaging about in her tiny handkarchief-size space, sometimes confused, sometimes dreamy, sometimes drunken from happiness. Only her youthfully sparkling and mischievous, I should say perhaps, devilish eyes gave her away.” - Csaba Králl, Élet és Irodalom

"Saturday begins with the performance of the Hungarian performer Rita Gobi "Two Square Meters" (2m²). The play delves into the theme of loneliness and isolation among the elderly. In a small space defined by a frame of laths, a series of touching, comical, and unexpected situations unfold. The young petite dancer is unrecognizable, with almost her entire face covered by a mask, complemented by glasses and a gray wig. She expresses herself without words, primarily through graceful hand movements. The miniature stage is equipped with a wheeled chair and a small table, but it also features an array of inventive devices, such as a bottomless glass or a rapidly growing flower. The elderly lady grapples with her mobile phone, her forgetfulness, constantly searching her apron pockets, and occasionally revisiting her microsecond dance career. It is a poignant and simultaneously imaginative and entertaining solo creation. " - Michaela Svobodová, Podhoubi

Directed by: Tamás Somogyi 
Composer: Bánk Sáry 
Costume and set design: Erik Grosschmid 
Light design: Pavla Beranova (CZ) 
Dancer and choreographer: Rita Góbi

Partner: Műhely alapítvány and Trafó House of Contemporary Arts

Supported by: Hungarian Academy of Arts, Nemzeti Kulturális Alap, Emberi Erőforrások Minisztériuma, Műhely Alapítvány, Sín Kulturális Központ, MOHA - Mozdulatművészek Háza /Orkesztika Alapítvány, gaborgobi.com

The creation of the music for the Góbi Rita Company's theatre performance called 'I remember / 2 sqm', and the realization of the professional program for the composer assignment was supported by the Hungarian Academy of Arts in 2022.

Venue: K11 Művészeti és Kulturális Központ - Budapest, Hungary
Date: 27 April 2024

Photo: Marcell Piti