Riding on a Cloud - Out There at the Walker

Photo: Joe Namy

(Originally posted on Minnesota Theater Love)

A large screen, and to the side a table with a cassette player, cassettes, DVD player and a stack of DVDs. A script or an outline is also on the table with a single chair sitting behind it. This was the setting for Rabih Mroué's "Riding on a Cloud." Honestly it looked like a set for many Spalding Gray shows, which to some extent it was. The big difference is that this show is a non-linear story about a Lebanese man named Yasser who was shot in the head by a sniper during the Civil War. Yasser also has a brother who makes videos and creates/directs shows. To make things interesting, the man on stage is also named Yasser and is the brother of Rabih - the creator/director of this work, and the videographer of some of the films shown during the work.

There is a lot of writing at the start of the show about Yasser and how he is a character in a story based on his own experiences and yet the Yasser in the show is not the same Yasser telling the story as he is not the same person who went through the experiences. This may seem confusing but I think of it as how you can't throw a rock into the same river twice - because the water is always flowing, it is a different river. In this situation, the person Yasser who went through the experiences is changed by the experiences and so he is not the same Yasser who is telling the story of Yasser. Also take into consideration that Yasser the actor is partially paralyzed from the sniper shot.

Photo: Joe Namy

And what an interesting story. It is told through home-made films and photos. It is also told via recordings of Yasser talking about his life, and recordings of music. It was a fascinating way to tell a story. Even more fascinating when Yasser talks about being shot. His father, and father before him were members of the Communist party. Yasser is leaving a friends to go home after hearing some news and is shot by a sniper. He is taken to Russia (for reasons not really explained) to have surgery and to heal. Yasser speaks of how he was surrounded by Lenin, Tchaikovsky and Mayakovsky while growing up. He speaks of being asked if he would rather be shot by a stray bullet, or by a sniper. Most of this speaking is done via DVD or cassette tapes. As Yasser, the actor, would play each one he kept the desk extremely organized, each DVD back in its case and placed in a certain place, each cassette tape handled the same way, almost a ritualistic process. It was fascinating.

Photo: Joe Namy

The work ends in such a gorgeous way. During the last few moments, the stage goes dark while Yasser leaves. Rabih comes down to the stage and moves the chair center. Yasser comes out with a guitar and the two of them play and sing together - Yasser on the frets, while Rabih strums. Gorgeous and moving. I look forward to seeing more from this artist. I also am looking forward to this Friday and the last performance of this years Out There series.