Dreams of the Small Gods is an intoxicating one-woman performance telling the story of the awakening of Wild Woman. Naked, unaware and unselfconscious, she explores her surroundings – more animal than human. Winner of the Autopsy Award for Summerhall 2022, and part of the Made in Scotland Showcase, this transfixing production from Zinnia Oberski is directed by Herald Angel Award winner Ellie Dubois (No Show).
Drawn from classic mythology, ancient practices and sacraments, Dreams of the Small Gods blends aerial circus, masked ritual and performance art to question ideas of holiness and profanity. It creates a world that is as hypnotic as it is surreal to explore the ever-changing relationship between animals, humans and those we name as our gods.
As Wild Woman awakens to her surroundings and becomes more aware, her developing consciousness attracts the attention of a primal deity. Existence is not enough, awareness is not enough; enlightenment requires curiosity. This creature compels her transformation: she draws arcane power from the coalition of animal, human and spirit self; she becomes something more.
Zinnia Oberski comments, Dreams of the Small Gods is inspired by mythology, folklore and faerie-tales. It is about the ancient power of the Earth and the natural world, and how this power is channelled through humans, in particular women. Instead of striving always for new I decided to create something very, very old, about a magic that we’ve forgotten but that is still tangible to us through the medium of the body.
Made in Scotland is a curated showcase of high-quality performance from Scotland. Find out more about the showcase at https://www.madeinscotlandshowcase.com/.
