ORTO-DA creates various plays with a social orientation, inspired by the complex context of the Middle East but with universal implications as well.

The actors are using the theatre styles of pantomime, Commedia dell’Arte, clowning, dance, circus and Pop-Art.

 For its unique performances the group has been awarded with several theatre prizes, it enthused and touched the public of many festivals.

Repertoire:

• "Stones"
• "Meta-Rabin"

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"Stones"

Direction: Yinon Tzafrir, Daniel Zafrani, Avi Gibson Bar-El
Music: Collage of classic-, pop-, rockmusic, sounds and texts

Splendid Labrador granite stones which supposed to be sculptured as a monument for the victory of Hitler in Europe, surprisingly find themselves after world war II as a monument for the Jewish warriors in the Warsaw ghetto, trying to adjust to the time of today and the myth of victory.
Based on the sculpture made by Nathan Rapaport (1911-1987) in 1948.

The sculpture gets alive and starts a critical time travel through the last decades of Israel and Europe.

Six mime artists create a musical, surrealistic, fantastic, comic living statue which deals with the myth of victory and the human spirit.

Demo-Clip of „Stones“ (4:04 min):  Video

>  6-7 actors  |  2 versions: 45 min. or 60 min. | stage 4 x 4 x 1,5 m  |  3 - 4 shows per day  | outdoor and indoor

Awards:

• 1. prize „Originality“ and “Best Show” at International Street Theatre Festival „bat-yam“ Israel 2005
• 1. prize "Best Theatre Play" at Feria Internacional de Castilla y Leon 2007 (E)
• 1. prize CLOUD at International Theatre Festival PUF 2008, Pula (CRO)

„How the stones of the Rapaport-monument slowly come alive, again and yet again forming new arrangements, it never ceases to fill the spectator with wonder. The Israelis barely seem to know aesthetical limits ... The mud-grey painted actors even don’t shy away from comedy ... Orto-Da always is showing new surprises on stage.“   (Pforzheimer Zeitung)

„ The Israeli theatre group casted a spell over much more than 1000 spectators in the age from 6 to 90 year ... Crying and laughing has been lying close together ...“   (Südländer Tageblatt)

„The pure witness of this incredible performance of the living stones already has been an unique artistic experience ... Enthusiasm, fright, fear and fun: The artists from Israel are placing courageous contrasts, optically as well as acoustically ... Euphorically the enthusiastic audience celebrated the actors of ORTO-DA after their sensational performance“   (Westfälische Rundschau)

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“Meta-Rabin”
Director: Yinon Tzafrir

“Between heaven and earth, a mythological father appears, to fulfill his mission and free his sons from terror and war.“

The show deals with the desire for peace through the Israeli experience after the murder of Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, Who was a symbol of hope and peace.

The show is divided in two:

The first part is an interactive walk, which includes a street parade and two pantomime scenes, following six masked characters.

The second part is located in one area in a half centre.

It uses circus attractions, visual and sound symbols and also dark clowning, which deal in a humoristic way with social hypocrisy and wrong beliefs. The society is represented in all its perplexity and inability.Demo-Clip von „Meta-Rabin“:  Video

>  7 actors  |  40 minutes  |  outdoor  |  1-4 shows per day

„ Exceptional performance ... Belongs to the risks of the theatre profession which has an ambition to shake, to excite and to prophesize ... Bravo to dare, for the civic spirit and the responsibility.“
(Sarit Fuks – MAARIV Newspaper, Israel)

„ It takes your breath away ... you won’t be bored even for a second ... the emotion suffocates you slowly as a diamond in your throat ... The public was touched till tears. Those who watched this show will not die foolish .“   (Le Journal dans la rue, 'Chalon sur la rue’, Frankreich)

„ORTO-DA has created a show, which has given a deep and a special meaning to this festival in France ... It is a good, touching and influential theatre which leaves the public open-mouthed, moved … and shocked by the power of this show.“   (Irit Lillian, General Director European Culture, Israel)

„ The expert evaluation concluded that your play was certainly the top of the festival ... it gives to the META-RABIN show the place at any scene on stage on the world. We wish you peace and a lot of success with your work!“   (Robert Krizanic, Director of the festival PTUJ, Slovenia)