- How did you get involved with 7 Stages?
Noa
Raban Knoller: We worked with Yonit Stern (Consulate Cultural Director) at her
previous job with the art community in Tel Aviv. We had a collaboration between
the two cities—Dimona and Tel Aviv—and we did so many things together. She
helped us with the art gallery in our space, so we knew her. In Israel
every year there is the International
Exposures conference for art. Del [Hamilton] and Faye [Allen] (co-founders
of 7 Stages) came to meet many artists and to see performances. We met and
started this collaboration that we hope will continue for a long time.
Heidi
Howard: How it all began—Noa meeting with Del and Faye—and Del and Faye being
the founders and pushing towards what this international collaboration, as we
move forward with the new leadership, it is essential that we continue this
relationship. When we bring in artists like Ofir and Noa, it is always
confirming what we do. It affirms what our mission is as far as learning from
one another’s methods and practices and being in the room together through that
creative process. Not just is the show magnificent, but in the space, working
together, talking, having conversations, and really interacting with our
community is essential to what these residencies and international
collaborations are.
2. How did No(se)onenowhere come about?
Ofir
Nahari: It started from my life. I’ve been working on it for six years. Before
coming to the Dimona Theatre, I finished acting school in Tel Aviv and from
there I started to write this show. I didn’t know what it was going to be so I just
wrote. There are four stories in the show, four acts. Every act is a different
story, but from the same person, the same clown. It’s more the story of the
clown and not just a story with a clown. When
I met Noa in Dimona, I always spoke to her about my show, my dream, my vision.
She told me “try to do it!” and I was nervous and didn’t know what to do. Suddenly,
I decided to do it and it became like magic. The first show was at Dimona
Theatre and now it is two years from the start.
Noa:
Actually his performance opened our new building in Dimona. We worked for three
years in different spaces until we had the building we have now.
No(se)onenowhere was the first time we opened the doors to this building. It was
very exciting.
3. Has this been an evolving project?
Ofir:
I change things all the time. Even for here, I put something new! The story
lives with me all the time. Every day, I will ask Noa, “What do you think about
that?” It always lives inside me so it is always changing and improving.
4. Can you give some insight into No(se)onenowhere?
Ofir:
He will figure out something from his life, maybe he will change something.
Maybe he will improve himself to be a good person and he will choose something
different in his life. And I believe in love so I think it fits. What
is very unique about my clown is that he is wearing a white nose, not a red
nose. For me it is like a natural mask. I put white makeup and white nose
without red stuff—maybe just a little on the lips. I wear white and I wear ballet
shoes, so the whole show is en pointe.