Pussy Riot spit in the face of complacency
- Tallulah Gray reports
Pussy Riot strut into place , taking the stage in their iconic brightly coloured balaclavas .
Behind them is footage of a protest in Russia circa-2011 and the subtitle reads “ Riot Days .” But mere moments before their powerful entrance , an altogether less theatrical figure takes hold of the mic .
This man , Yury Muravitsky , sets the stage for us . Quiet falls over the bustling festival audience , eager for the famed hooliganism of Pussy Riot to commence .
Muravitsky ’ s explanation of the history of Pussy Riot holds the attention of everyone in the room . He details the story of founding member Maria “ Masha ” Alyokhina ’ s arrest following the group ’ s cathedral performance in 2012 and subsequent 2-year incarceration , and their importance in the context of Putin ’ s Russia .
Muravitsky offers up their account of this period , but more importantly their relevance to the larger fight for press and speech freedom across the globe .
After this , the crowd experiences a palpable shift in tone , What was a carefree enthusiasm for pure chaos has morphed into something more profoundly respectful for the people mere moments away from stepping on stage .
The first Pussy Riot member to join the stage is on crutches , the second enters in a bulletproof vest adorned with the Ukrainian Flag , and finally , the remaining members enter in their balaclavas to begin “ ACT I : RED .”
The show is structured similarly to Alyokhina ’ s memoir “ Riot Days ” that outlines the period leading up to the group ’ s now infamous performance at Moscow Cathedral , leading to her two-year incarceration in a gulag and follows through into present day .
The mix of music and speech with more abstract forms of performance art- a highlight of which saw Olga Borisova dowsing the audience in bottles of water one after another- is fierce in grabbing the audience ’ s attention , making looking away feel like a threat to progress .
The projections behind Pussy Riot play documentary footage depicting violent protests , Russian winters , and secret Pussy Riot meetings leading up to the famed demonstration in Moscow ’ s Cathedral as well as translations to the lyrics of the groups songs and speeches .
Pussy Riot , and more specifically Masha Alyokhina , are a force to be reckoned with , spitting in the face of complacency .
Photo Credit- Tallulah Gray Photo Credit- Tallulah Gray