Review: SKIRT THIS IS KODKOD at Habima Theater

By: Feb. 18, 2018
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Review: SKIRT THIS IS KODKOD at Habima Theater


Skirt This Is Kodkod is a show all of us need to see. And when I write all of us, I mean everyone! From boys who are going to join the army, to soldiers, and even old people too.

Why such an endorsement, you may be wondering? Because Skirt This Is Kodkod is a show that discusses the chauvinistic nature of the army, and it does it in a very different way than you might ordinarily see. And it is certainly a message that deserves to be heard by everyone.
Practically aligned with the timeframe of the #METOO campaign, three young girls stand on stage at the Habima National Theater, accompanied by a piano player (who I will write more about later), as they sing the songs of the army. Poems that were written by our greatest poets, and also by our soldiers. Songs that became the songs of national morale.

Let's remember the song What To Do by the poet Nathan Alterman, a well-known song. Now, try to look at the following lines from a feminist perspective:
"If I had a crooked mouth
I did not miss anything
If I had a big nose
I could still suffer
What to do?
What to do?
That I was so beautiful
That I am almost comfortable
Just for an exhibition?"

Review: SKIRT THIS IS KODKOD at Habima Theater
The three girls who created the show - Keren Shefet, Chen Lugassi and Adi Drori - know how to do satire at its best. They took a complicated subject, which on its face is a hot-button issue - especially in these current days - and handled it masterfully!

I want to write that it was a beautiful and lovely show, but after having seen the show I really cannot. Especially when I come to the realization that all the songs the girls sing are real, and that soldiers sing them now. The absurdity - the soldiers do not even notice how Chauvinist the songs are! And I believe I was likely just as oblivious before seeing this show.
This show illuminates the eyes of hundreds of people, and forces the audience to actually delve into the meaning behind the lines of these songs.

About the musical director Omri Dagan‎‏.
Dagan is the piano player in the performance, as well as Wendy and Peter and King Saul; he also the arrangement. I must say that he is no less than a genius, likely the highest-level musical composer in Israel today. The power and energy he conveys to the audience with the help of a mere piano stuns me every time. I have no doubt that we will hear much more about Omri Dagan in the future.

In conclusion, do yourself a favor: go see this interesting show! It's fascinating, and may open your eyes in a way you did not expect!


Photo Credit: May Barnea
For tickets and further information, visit Habima Theatre.



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