Lighter Than Woman
Lighter Than Woman, stage situation at Homo Novus festival in Riga, 2019. Photo: E. Norkroos
Lighter Than Woman, Liubov at her workplace in Bologna. Still from video
Lighter Than Woman, Mariia works near Bologna and she is showing her embroidered picture of granddaughter who lives in Ukraine. Still from video
Lighter Than Woman, Samantha Christoforetti on the ISS. Photo: European Space Agency
Watch trailer on Vimeo:
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Lighter Than Woman is a poetical-documentary performance about overcoming the gravity of life in direct and indirect meaning. Norman observes Italy’s only female astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti as a person who has overcome gravity literally by becoming weightless in outer space. In parallel Norman looks at Ukrainian migrant labourers who live in Italy and who have become caregivers for Italian elders and who carry their burden of final years and experience the heaviness literally by lifting them. Nevertheless, these women don’t crumble under the weight of others’ lives. On the contrary, they – even without outer space – can overcome gravity. How it is possible and what role work plays in the happiness of human life are the questions examined in Norman’s piece, where documental research, poetical parallels and gravity defying gaze to the difficulties of human life are combined.
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The documentary material for the project was collected in the region of Emilia Romagna in Italy in spring 2019. The only Italian woman astronaut Samantha Christoforetti was in space between 23 November 2014 and 11 June 2015 and she holds the record for the longest uninterrupted spaceflight by a European astronaut – 199 days, 16 hours.
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LIGHTER THAN WOMAN
By and with: Kristina Norman
Dramaturgy: Laur Kaunissaare
Camera, live execution: Erik Norkroos
Choreographic advice: Joanna Kalm, Karolin Poska
Music: Jēkabs Nīmanis
Light: Oliver Kulpsoo
With the participation of: Isadora Angelini, Ivana Abbondanza, Halina Fomiceva, Liubov Sandulovych, Nataliya Sandu, Victoria Bilivska, Mariia Filonenko, Mayya Romashchenko, Rina Pancaldi
Special thanks to: Piersandra di Matteo, Cosetta Nicolini, Maria Rita Palumbo, Anna Tomesani, Mariya Fedoryshyn, Meelika Ebrok, Meelis Muhu
Translations: Maarja Kangro, Tom Karik, Pearu Helenurm
Photos: Epp Kubu, Erik Norkroos
Supporters: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Ministry of Culture of Estonia
Co-production: Kanuti Gildi SAAL, Santarcangelo festival, New Theatre Institute of Latvia,
Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione/Atlas of Transitions Biennale project
Create to Connect -> Create to Impact supported by EU
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Premiere: 05.07.2019 Santarcangelo festival, Italy
Duration: 90`
In English, Ukrainian and Italian with English subtitles or with translation into local language of the host.
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For more information: https://saal.ee/en/performance/5992/
Annika Üprus: annika@saal.ee