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Ish Theater
Formed in 2008, Ish Theater is an exciting new Israeli physical theater ensemble encompassing clowning and mime. The founding members of the group – friends since their days as young aspiring theater students - Fyodor Makarov, Noam Rubinstein and Yolana Zimmerman, share a long history of creative collaboration and joined forces in a mutual desire to practice and stretch the realm of physical theater, clowning and mime.
After completing their first project, Odysseus Chaoticus, the trio decided that the basis of their work would derive from ancient myths, folk tales and archetypical themes.
The philosophy behind the company is that the theater, in order to regain its strength and impact, sometimes needs to refer to the past and move away from our present and often turbulent times towards the poetic, the comic and the surreal, allowing a different perspective to our everyday reality.
Artist Biographies
Fyodor Makarov – member of Slava Polunin's legendary Slava’s Snow Show, creator and performer of Don Vitorio – a one man clown show and numerous other successful clown shows.
Noam Rubinstein – leading role in Terminal, a visual theater play (The Israel Festival, Jerusalem 2006), member of the internationally acclaimed Clipa Dance Theater Company, and winner of Best Actor (The Israeli 48 hour film competition 2008). Noam is also a professional medical clown.
Yolana Zimmerman – has appeared in Scandal Clowns, La Gazetta, 9th Tadora International Festival 2006, Puebla, Mexico; Tranquila (Akko Festival 2008, Cameri Theater). Yolana also works as a professional medical clown.
Video edited by Yossi Darmon
Odysseus Chaoticus
Odysseus Chaoticus is a fantastic cabaret show, based on the travels of Odysseus, King of Ithaca. Parts of the mythological Odyssey are intertwined into a story of an eccentric Italian family; a romantic-dreamer husband, his uptight dominating, but loving wife, a needy old Papa and their noisy newborn baby all packed like sardines in their small home. The day-dreaming husband escapes his mundane routine and takes an imaginative journey inspired by Homer’s Odyssey.
The three performers, who also sing, dance and play a variety of musical instruments, play a multitude of characters between them, alternating between them in an almost dizzying rhythm. The multi-talented trio tells the story of the great Greek hero, King Odysseus, who struggles to find his way home in wondrously cruel world inhabited by ancient gods, witches, monsters and larger-than-life humans.
Odysseus Chaoticus brings together physical theater, clowning, acting, dance and live music
creating a sweeping rhythmic succession of scenes and one of the most entertaining hours you will
ever spend in the theater!
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Creators and performers
Noam Rubinstein, Fyodor Makarov and Yolana Zimmerman
Director: Masha Nemirovsky
Original music: Noam Rubinstein
Costumes: Svetlana Livshits
Producer: Alina Feldman
Duration: Approximately 60 minutes (company can perform two shows per day)
Workshops
Ish Theater offers a variety of entertaining and challenging physical theater workshops for student and community groups of all levels.
The main goal of a workshop is to introduce participants to a truly international form of theater that breaks language barriers, and deals with cultural values in a humoristic and fun way.
The workshop includes the following parts:
Introduction to Physical Theater
An overview of theater genres and the art of Physical
Theater in particular.
This is a talk with live demonstration as we go, or video projection.
Expressive Movement
This part of the workshop will deal with basic understanding of bodily expression in space, including rhythm, weight and awareness of the body through a series of practical and fun exercises.
The Hero
Through use of movement, voice and music, participants will create their own interpretations of famous characters. There is also a possibility of working with costumes and makeup.
Certain costumes or accessories can be created on the spot from cheap materials
like masking tape and paper.
The workshop's duration and structure vary according to time limitations, particular interests of the group, level of theater experience etc.