Cinderella

The character of Sherry has followed Ann Liv Young for a long time, and in the role of Sherry, Young has made a series of solo shows, most recently at the prestigious PS1 in New York. The autumn of 2010 Ann Liv Young visited Black Box Teater, Avantgarden and BIT Teatergarasjen with Cinderella.

Cinderella by Ann Liv Young is built on the fairytale about Cinderella. The basic narrative in this well-known story can be traced back to China during the ninth century, but in our day Cinderella is probably best known through the fairytale written down by the Brothers Grimm and through the Disney movie.

In the encyclopaedia Store norske leksikon Cinderella is referred to as the youngest daughter or step-daughter held in her mother's and sisters' contempt, always left to do the heaviest and most vulgar house work, but who by virtue and beauty eventually reaches happiness and power and wins the prince.

In Ann Liv Young's Cinderella a point is made out of the fact that most women would prefer to present themselves more like Cinderella than like Sherry. Sherry is too tough, too pushy, and a little too wild. Hence Sherry and Cinderella have to deal with decisions together, as one person, despite the differences. Sherry simply has to assist Cinderella and the other way around. In many ways they are the same person, being driven in different directions, having to help each other through the trials of life.

The New York based Ann Liv Young has, despite her young age, managed to reach the headlines for several of her unique shows. Onstage she has rolled around in the ashes of her own dog; she has applied blood to her skin, she has drunk urine, she has had sex with her fellow actors and yelled at the audience. Outside of the stage she has given her audience lap dances and ridiculed her staff for destroying the performance.  

In the webpage of Black Box Teater the production text is followed by a warning: Note! The performance may contain strong sequences."

Sources: Black Box Teater Oslo, blackbox.no, 31.08.2010, http://www.blackbox.no/content/titlePresentation.php?tid=2052

Store norske leksikon, snl.no, 31.08.2010, http://snl.no/Askepott

"Ann Liv Young, who became the most powerful act of the festival, plays herself out in the faces of the spectators, transforming us to actors participating in the performance. This is rare. It is moving and emotionally hyper-dynamic. We twist and turn in the chairs, sweat, shiver and struggle honestly to relate to Young’s direct questions, her body and her will and skill to reach out to us, or in to us.",

Lise Hovik, 30.09.2010, Review titled Aggressiv bastard (Aggressive bastard), Scenekunst.no, http://www2.scenekunst.no/egenkritikk_7551.nml

"What shocked the audience was not urine, used tampons or poop. It was rather Ann Liv Young’s confronting style and examinations of why the audience had come and what they expected from her.”

Charlotte Myrbråten, 14.09.2010, Review titled Knallhard stil (Rock-hard style), bt.no, http://www.bt.no/bergenpuls/scene/anmeldelser/Knallhard-stil--1155982.html

"She shocks those who let themselves be shocked, she frolics in threats and unmet expectations and lets the dialogue play out, with honestly felt aggression directed towards her own partners, the technical staff of the theatre and the audience.",

Frida Gullestad, 22.09.2010, Review titled Glitterbæsj og utskjelling* (Glimmering poop and mudslinging), adressa.no, http://www.adressa.no/kultur/scene/article1532317.ece