When Julia Croft comes on stage and plays with the microphone for a good ten minutes, no one in the audience knows what to expect. The sounds are that of her making through her performance, but the show has little dialogue to say the least – yet, its silences say a lot! “Power Ballad” is a piece of art and like art, it isn’t for everyone but ought to be seen by as many as is possible.
The one-woman performance is evocative. Croft and Madhan, the creators and director, dare to push boundaries to get to the bottom (pun intended) of concepts that are used often but are often elusive. There is a take on feminism and equality; what it might look like and how it is expressed through language – sometimes breaking it down into sounds to show how incoherent these terms can feel when asked to articulate them.
Despite the sometimes awkward moments that transform into comic relief, especially with hesitant audience participation and interaction, the karaoke part is hands-down too fun to miss out on! The 80s music helped bond the audience members, providing much-needed cohesion to have the spirit to continue watching an important performance portrayed in the most abstract yet accurate way. There is little to say about “Power Ballad” except that it is like fine art. You kind of have to see it to understand it.
Get your tickets here!
– Maira Hassan