Respons-a!

Truth is produced in conversations. That is, truth is in flux: it depends on who is speaking to whom. Kitchen conversations, bar intimations, classroom debates, panel discussions, artist talks and interviews - those are just modes of the production of truth. The significance of any particular subject is not a given: we talk to each other to find out what is important to us. 

In Judaism, a conversation is a form of study and legislation. The Jewish law is historically accompanied by “sheelot ve tshuvot”, questions and answers, or responsa, wherein rabbis reply to questions, on subjects ranging from mundane to theological.

Respons-a! responded to that tradition. It is a game of special cards set to poetically and humorously address both mundane and “big” questions in everyday life and art.  Each of the 80 cards offered a set of different questions that one player asked the other. While the questions were predetermined, the answers depended entirely on the responding player. The performance was staged in a small theatre/cafe in Minneapolis.

Produced by the Rimon Artist Salon Series

April 7th 2019, Bryant Lake Bowl and Theatre, Minneapolis, MN

Performance and set design: Boris Oicherman, Katya Oicherman, Pedram Baldari, Nooshin Hakim Javadi

Text: Katya Oicherman

Dramaturgical support: Rachel Jendrzejewski

Visual: Nooshin Hakim Javadi

Photography:  Debra Fisher Goldstein

Video: James Peitzman