The Shit (La Merda) @ Summerhall

Silvia Gallerano is perched on a pedestal in the centre of the stage. She is completely naked and so is the stage itself. Gallerano spends the entire performance sitting awkwardly, ranting into a microphone that she caresses with a white knuckled grasp.

Gallerano’s wrath is relentless. A certain points throughout the act the raw emotion reaches a crescendo with the performer standing upright howling into the microphone. The lights then dim to show the vulnerable perpetrator quite literally stripped bare as she regains her composure. Every word that Gallerano says is pronounced with pain and eloquence, which at times can be seen as shocking and emotional. When the diatribe reaches it’s peak the audience feels pinned back in our seats with the full force of the words.

The content of the monologue varies from topic to topic, but the main themes are vanity and explicit anger. The conclusion sees Gallerano have a dialogue with herself and as this conversation picks up pace, it is delivered with an intense back and forth leaving the audience and performer exhausted.

The Shit is a fine performance by Silvia Gallerano, but the production by Cristian Ceresoli and Marta Ceresoli also has to be applauded for audacity, content and the raw emotion on display. [Steven Fraser]