When you have nothing but memories and memory is fading because of time, displacement, health… what do you have?
Neither a musical, drama or gig-theatre, OommoO is a new kind of story telling following the story of an individual through their memberships and roles in society and culture.
What is OommoO? An acronym for ‘One of many, many of One’, it is and a one woman theatre series that depicts the true life events of 1st generation ImMigrant Lula Berhane, as she navigates the duality of two cultures, her Habesha (Eritrea/Ethiopian) heritage and British identity.
OommoO is a modular live show presented with a cinematic sensibility. Interweaving language and customs with innovative high tech storytelling tools like the wearable tech MiMU gloves (a midi gestral controller), the story is stitched together live with visuals, music and soundscape to teleport you to a different world. It is an emotionally visceral, poetic reflection of an experience unpacked through an Afro-Futuristic East African lens.
OommoO presents Lula Berhane’s story but it is the story of many. Intergenerational divide happens in all communities but it is exacerbated by displacement. In this 1st episode, we look at the effects of memory loss on a displaced community, on different generations, caused by different reasons. The African American story is a cautionary tale of what happens when you have no access to the memory of your past; your heritage; your story becomes HIStory.
The theatrical staged show will be available in English (with Tigrina subtitles) or Tigrinya (with English Subtitles).
To encourage dialogue about the themes of the show, excerpts will be presented in an interactive conversation staged within a Coffee Ceremonies experience. This experience can be housed anywhere freeing the show to travel to the community. During the Edinburgh Festival Fringe run the Coffee Ceremonies experience will take place across the city at various locations.
Show creator and performer Lula Mebrahtu says, “OommoO is important today, more than ever, because new legislation is being introduced and attitudes towards migrants is creating more hostility for displaced communities. Once an immigrant, always an immigrant. As such, home is no longer brick and mortar, it is a sense of belonging.”
