Review by Libbi Hutton

Summerhall – Dissection Room

‘Pussy Riot was never a punk band’ states Alexander Cheparukhin, producer of the show. I am standing in a crowded audience on the final night of an 11-day run, preparing myself for what I’ve heard to be a “confrontational” and “essential” show. Maria (Masha) Alyochina of Pussy Riot: an anti-Putinist performance art collective, has created, with help from a large team, a show around her book ‘Pussy Riot: Riot Days’. The show chronologically narrates Pussy Riot’s journey from their first actions in 2011 up to the present moment, where mournful solidarity-in-silence at Putin’s war in Ukraine emerge from the previous exhilarating, anarchistic atmosphere.

The show begins. Eric Breitenbach, drummer for the critically acclaimed experimental band ‘New Age Doom’ stands alone and still in a blue mist, facing the audience with long, wet hair falling over their face. A soundscape of choral ambience and wailing sirens weld together, masterfully echoing the context behind the first chapter of Pussy Riot’s story: the union of church and state which allowed Pussy Riot members to be imprisoned under ‘religious hatred’ in 2012.

On stage, the soundscape is interrupted dramatically as Eric begins a strong military-sounding drumbeat; a call to action, perhaps. Masha Alyochina and Olga Borisova run on stage, ski masks on, and begin a fast-paced spoken word performance in Russian over a thrilling backing track. Urgent, immovable, resolute; the audience could only receive the heavy load of information, presented as captions on a backdrop, before the next chapter had started. No time for analysis; the first half of the show followed this immersive suit, with Olga throwing water at the audience, reminding us to stay alert, and perhaps to ‘wake up!’ It was clever; our instinct to be annoyed by the water felt pathetic in comparison to the testimony of Russian prison that we had just heard; our privileged sensitivities were confronted. As was the case when stage lights turned 180 degrees to shine on the audience as the question of individual duty to protect freedoms arose.

The call to sacrifice certain routines of conformity to build a better world system without censorship and oppression was the takeaway of the show. Although the ‘system’ in question was not named, calls to ‘kill empire” and ‘down with the Polizei’ were certainly supported by the audience. The punk gig was not just a space for educational leftist and anti-war solidarities, but also a wider tribute. To Alexei Navalny, opposition-leader, poisoned to death by Putin’s team. To Irina Slavina, who set herself on fire in protest of the Russian federation. To LGBT folks who must ‘fit in’ to survive the dictatorship. To Ukranian children’s hospitals, and to the 1300 Russian political prisoners, where to both the show sends its profits.

The show leaves you with the essential mix of an exhilarating, ready-to-revolt attitude, and a heart full of love, unity and respect for those around you, already contributing to the fight by supporting these courageous activists. ‘Wanted criminals’ in Russia, ‘Pussy Riot’ are no joke

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