Passover is not just that time every year that you get very drunk on Manishewitz. It celebrates our people’s freedom and Exodus from slavery in Egypt. We eat the unleavened bread our ancestors were forced to eat, while sitting on cushions drinking four glasses of wine, and reciting the Four Questions. For me, the most important part of Passover tradition has always been sitting with loved ones and telling the story of our freedom. It brings families and friends together with a shared sense of identity, history and appreciation for what we have.
Brooklyn theatre artist Paul Leopold and his performance group, Descent, are kicking it up to a whole new level with their original work, GRAVITY. The show, which ran last summer at Bushwick’s experimental party/performance space House of Yes, is going on the road this week, just in time for Passover, for a weekend run at Boston’s Oberon Theatre, bringing it’s message of liberation with it.
GRAVITY brands itself as “superhero party theatre”, and tells the story of a dark, post-apocalyptic world ruled by Gravity, an evil Underlord who has enslaved millions with her tyrannical rule. But there’s hope for salvation, thanks to a group of passionate superheroes dedicated to fighting for freedom. It’s a tale that resonates with the story and message of Passover, both in it’s telling and hedonistic presentation.
Leopold, a Jew from West Palm Beach who attended Boston University’s theatre program, sees a very obvious connection between GRAVITY and Pesach:
“Passover reminds us that we are all born free. Retelling this ancient story of triumph reaffirms the everlasting energy within each of us to overcome obstacles that stand in our way and fight with every ounce of energy we have in us to fulfill our dreams and make the world a better place.”
GRAVITY‘s creation, as well as the show itself, celebrates the message of Passover. Leopold adds:
“Our journey to create gravity is a testament to overcoming obstacles in and of itself. We are a young group, with limited resources and a fresh reputation. In the theater world we’re at the bottom of a powerful hierarchy. We had to fight with sweat and blood over the course of the past two years to get this production on its feet. There were more setbacks than there were triumphs and many times we considered giving up. But the story is too important and our passion is too real, and we made a vow to never give up hope that we can see our dreams come true and create the type of show that we would want to come to and enjoy. GRAVITY is the voice of a generation affirming that no matter what kind of mess we inherited and no matter how many times were told we can’t do what we want we will find a way to build the future the way we want it and break free of the chains that bind us.”
Watch the trailer for GRAVITY:
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GRAVITY will run this Friday and Sunday at Boston’s Oberon Theatre. Tickets available here.
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