“WoManHood” blends fiction and reality on stage, using circus art, music, and documentary.

WoManHood is a performance about the fine line between a woman being a man. 

Inspired by the culture of The Sworn Virgin in Albania and the silent mountains that protect them, the performance goes from real life to the imaginary. The performance is carried out by two female circus practitioners, a female singer, a light composer set in a black box with a minimalistic set design. Why do we think of specific attitudes as feminine or masculine? In this concept we dive into socio-cultural understandings and misunderstandings of gender. Is it possible to be in-between, not to be one or another? To simply exist as the person we are? Or do we need to take a stand and exist as one gender?

We leave the question to the audience, while we gather sound, actions, spoken word, and live interviews. 

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The show explores the physical boundary between women and men today and aims to shift our perspective on identity and gender. I talk about WoManHood, as a way to reflect upon woman and man, what is a strong woman ? What is it to be a woman ? What is it to live a woman’s life ? What happens when a woman becomes a man ? Like in the Albanian tradition of the Burneshas, where a woman takes the role of a man and becomes a man. Why have there throughout history been a need for women to behave, become, act as men ? Why is it not enough to be a woman ?

WoManHood is above all a visual and physical performance that emphasises the fragility and strength of gestures.