Fabrik

At the webpage of Porsgrunn International Theatre Festival the following, among other things, was written about Fabrik by Wakka Wakka:

"Moritz Rabinowitz rises as a clothes entrepreneur, becoming an important figure in Haugesund. He is a man who loudly declares his opinions, and in the years prior to World War II he warns against the headway of the Nazis. When the Nazis come for him, he has nowhere to flee.

(...)

The story is told as a musical comedy in the form of puppetry. But this isn't theatre for children. The puppetry won't hide the tragedy of Rabinowitz, the absurd sides of the Nazi hatred of Jews or the pure terror of the time. Through reflecting a tragic life in a format often directed towards children, Wakka Wakka opens for the emotions forcing their way through the politically correct compassion, challenging us to laugh with the doomed.

The performance was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 2008 in the category of 'Unique Theatrical Experience', and it received a Unima Citation of Excellence in 2008."

Sources:

Porsgrunn International Theatre Festival, www.pit.no, 02.08.2010, http://2009.pit.no/show_details.asp?ID=688

Wakka Wakka,www.wakkawakka.org, 10.08.2010, http://www.wakkawakka.org/index2.php?v=v1

Kari Frøyland, Lofotposten:

"Excellent craft and acting. First and foremost Fabrik is an extraordinarily strong time image about a (Jewish) man's destiny."

Andy Webster, The New York Times:

"This modest yet powerfully affecting production capitalizes on the range of the art form [puppetry] and takes it to impressive heights... consistently startling."

Garret Eisler, The Village Voice:

"Fabrik, a charming and disturbing creation of Wakka Wakka Productions (whose previous Norwegian-themed works include The Death of Little Ibsen), arguably communicates his life more compellingly than would any Spielbergian epic (...) it opens up avenues of emotion beyond sanctimony. "

Joe Dziemianowicz, The Daily News:

"Puppets weave magic into Fabrik (...) visually stunning"

Andy Propst, Backstage:

"so impeccably produced... a must-see feat of theatricality."

Irene Backalenick, The Jewish Press:

"Can puppets tell the story of the great Jewish tragedy, of Shoah? Can small dolls cavort about the stage and come near to the meaning of the Holocaust? In a kind of miracle, Fabrik does just that."

Ethan Kanfer, Showbusiness Weekly:

"Exquisitely crafted, the miniatures allow their manipulators a narrative flexibility that would be difficult to achieve with flesh-and-blood actors. Aerial shots, tabletop sets, songs and Chagallesque dream sequences combine to paint a luminous portrait of their protagonist's life and ever-darkening times."

David Barbour, Lightingandsoundamerica:

"Fabrik is filled with visually arresting moments"

Eugene Paul, Theaterscene.net:

"I had never heard of M. Rabinowitz before. After Fabrik I will never forget him. Nor will you."

John Del Signore, Gothamist:

"A magical gem of a show"

Laurie Lawson, eljnyc.com:

"With amazingly expressive and exquisitely dressed puppets (...) a delightful masterpiece"

Paulanne Simmons, CurtainUp.com:

"Fabrik takes the audience out of flesh-and-blood existence to a world beyond time and place . . . a world of powerful emotion and memory. . . a world where tragedy and comedy collide. . . a world that unmistakably and unrelentingly resembles life."

Andy Horowitz, Culturebot:

"Fabrik is a very enjoyable, well-made and well-performed show."

Sources:

Wakka Wakka,www.wakkawakka.org,10.08.2010, http://www.wakkawakka.org/index2.php?v=v1

Porsgrunn International Theatre Festival, www.pit.no, 02.08.2010, http://2009.pit.no/show_details.asp?ID=688