Dreams of the Small Gods @ Summerhall – Demonstration Room (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022) Review

Living in the present, the now, is a powerful thing and something you learn to do if you take on any meditative practices. The appreciation of nature and what lies around us, whether visible or not to the eye realms you really learn to appreciate. A spiritual performance focused on the awakening of a wild woman, Zinnia Oberski presents Dreams of the Small Gods, a break away from your traditional production and channelling the energy of Shamanic practice.

Theatre as therapy and ritual, Oberski hangs upside down on an elevated swing, her body cast in shadow, still. What then plays out is a potent display of stamina and skill as she overlooks the Demonstration Room and proceeds to harvest the power of strength and sustaining movement and mood to cultivate a meditative environment. The ground below adorned in soil – an earthy, organic element of the production that Oberski herself appreciates as she gradually covers herself in it, an organic shield protecting her, an added layer of strength.

Ellie Dubois directs a distinctive performance, one that celebrates humanity and spirit, and one showing that all can be connected within a matter of minutes, without the use of words. Oberski then placing a skeletal cattle mask over her face embracing a more animalistic, instinctive side, one that acts to survive and that doesn’t overthink things which supports living in the now. Dreams of the Small Gods is grounding force, Oberski playing very carefully with stillness and calm to captivate. Experimental, therapeutic, honest.

Written by Lucy Basaba.

Dreams of the Small Gods is currently showing until Sunday 21st August 2022/Tuesday 23rd to Sunday 28th August 2022 at Summerhall – Demonstration Room. To find out more about the production, visit here…