Crveni Pijetao
{Red Rooster} Premiered Dec 08, 2023 at Sovereign House 185 E. Broadway, NYC
Prologue: A Croatian folk song sung in homage to Tin Ujević, considered the greatest Croatian poet of the 20th century.
Performance: A silent poem using ancient Greco-Roman pantomime and 19th c. ballet d’action to tell a story loosely inspired by the 16th c. Croatian folk tale; The Rooster of Đurđevac, coupled with tales of the Štriga (witch). Performed in a hand-made costume based on traditional Balkan and Croatian dress — and in custom Freed of London pointe shoes. Music performed live on the upright double bass by Kyle Motl.
Epilogue: A recitation of the poem “Star on High” by Tin Ujević (performed in English by Ellen Frances)
Hosted by Beckett Rosset; this performance is part of a reading series featuring several authors including Christian Lorentzen, Nico Walker, Jonah Howell, Beckett Rosset and more…
Inspired by Eastern European Circus Theatre & ancestral research into Ellen’s Yugoslavian great grandparents. The legend, passed down through generations, speaks of the ingenuity of the citizens of Đurđevac, who managed to liberate and free themselves after a long and difficult siege. The myth suggests the town was saved by an old woman and a rooster. Throughout Balkan territory the rooster is seen as a sign of healing, hope, and power. In Greek myth the rooster Is aligned with Mars. In this blending of folklore, the old woman is able to pass her Štriga (witch) powers to the Rooster, making the rooster a mythical creature itself.
Costume: Hand sewn red velvet vest with embroidered trim over a hand altered vintage peasant blouse. Red satin wrap with dyed red rooster feathers. Hand sewn red velvet head wrap with embroidered trim and feathers. Red satin ribbon ankle bracelet with feathers. Red Freed of London pointe shoes with added double facing red satin ribbon.
