Maar, Dora
4th wall-breaking & deliciously snarky, “Maar, Dora” blends 1930s art world lore with a contemporary consciousness. The 2-hander follows Dora Maar, surrealist photographer, muse & mistress of Pablo Picasso; clever design choices & an edgy script leave us wanting to know more…
The Timely: Faye Hilyer-Ziegler’s Dora Maar is unapologetic & #relatable. We begin in her studio, listening to the assorted press lament in voiceover that her relationship with Picasso “marked the end of her career.” Focused on her work, Maar shrewdly counters: “This is what you would call ‘the male gaze’; in 1937, we called it ‘art’.” Such bang-on delivery & edgy ripostes brilliantly compare & critique society’s changing (or have they?) perspectives…
The Thrilling: While most artist-centred docu-theatre shies away from reproducing “the art,” (we’re reminded of the Young Vic’s #TheCollaboration) MAAR, DORA embraces it, showing how visual art can be used to create heightened, theatrical moments. One such scene sees Picasso demand that Maar paint instead of photograph; enraged by his incessant bullying & put-downs, Dora rips away part of the canvas to reveal a painting underneath a thin layer of paper. Kudos to the creative team for cleverly finding a way to showcase Maar’s work whilst also delivering a bit of onstage #magic…
The Transformative: The message behind Nadia Jackson’s script is just as daring as its protagonist. For contemporary 4th-wave feminists, the constraints Maar is under may seem unfathomable, but Jackson’s pithy dialogue evaluates the eras. In defence of her decision to stay within Picasso’s cycle of abuse, she notes, “I didn’t raise my voice in the way you’ve been taught.” Maar’s smart characterisation highlights that overcoming toxic power structures is never an easy option…
At the end of it all, Maar finds herself inextricably & forever tied to her deeply misogynistic, albeit uber-famous lover🪢 As Picasso quite literally invades her space, she wonders if anything will ever belong solely to her. It seems not, but this is precisely what is so gripping about the piece: it bravely sits in the murkiness of the problem, foregoing an unrealistic, fairytale ending. 4/5🌟
#OldRedLion #Londontheatre