Carriageworks will present the Sydney premiere of Italian theatre company Motus’ MDLSX, a confronting, empowering hymn to androgyny. For three nights from 16 – 18 March, platinum-maned punk god/dess Silvia Calderoni will bring her unique brand of performance to audiences, using her family’s home videos to blur fiction with her own life story. Part performance-art monologue, part DJ set featuring music from The Smiths, Vampire Weekend and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, this is a show that, like its subject, proudly defies classification.
MDLSX is an 80-minute performance weaving autobiography and literary evocations in a lively celebration of exploration, the freedom of becoming and gender-blending, presenting a being that cannot be contained within the borders of the body, skin colour, sexual organs, or boundaries of national identity.
Motus has a reputation of blurring boundaries of form and content in theatre, and their presentation of MDLSX is no different. Directed and conceived by Motus founders Daniela Nicolò and Enrico Casagrande and using music, video, monologue and physical performance, MDLSX tells the thought-provoking story of a gender fluid character, encouraging the audience to embrace difference and to question the way the world classifies and defines human beings.
MDLSX is performed by multi-award winning actress and artist Silvia Calderoni, who was born in Lugo, in the northern Ravenna region of Italy, in 1981. Calderoni began her acting career at an early age with Teatro Valdoca, and since 2006 has worked with directors Daniela Nicolò and Enrico Casagrande at Motus, specially creating performances that explore her androgyny. In January 2013, a jury composed of 70 experts and insiders awarded Calderoni the Marte Award “for being able to innovate while maintaining the characteristics and techniques of the traditional theatre on stage” for her performance in Alexis. A Greek Tragedy.
New York Theatre Review has described Calderoni’s performance in MDLXS as one of “fearless vulnerability” that “is required viewing for anyone interested in multimedia expression, gender identity, and boundary-destroying performance art.”
Carriageworks Director Lisa Havilah said: “Carriageworks is excited to be bringing this bold solo performance to Sydney audiences for the first time that has been described as exhilarating, high-intensity exploration of identity.”
This production contains nudity, strobe and laser lighting, recommended for ages 16 years and over.