The Voices of Community Series continues: At 8PM on Friday and Saturday, March 28th and 29th, Sandglass Theater presents Anida Yoeu Ali, in her dramatic one-woman theater piece Living Memory/Living Absence. Grappling with the compelling themes of memory, exile and Cambodian genocide, Ali’s performance traces her fears of returning to Cambodia, her country of birth. The joy she feels, immersed in ancient Khmer traditions, clashes with the irrepressible legacy of genocide that lingers in the streets. This joy and the pain of these experiences take us “in search of the Apsara, or heavenly nymphs, which exist as a force within all people”.

In this interdisciplinary piece, spoken word and Butoh-inspired movements are set against a backdrop of powerful imagery of the sites and sounds of Cambodia created by video artist Masahiro Sugano, and light designers Yasmeen Shorish and Giau Troung. Anida’s work is haunting, both in its beauty and its rawness – a sensitive exploration of both aesthetics and of the interface where these two extremes meet, the area of conflict where so many original and creative possibilities are hatched.

“Anida is a true voice for the struggle of Cambodians to come to terms with their history — a history of genocide and the issues of societal erosion and development that effect both present day Cambodians and Cambodian Americans. She is sharp, she is insightful, she is committed to truth and justice. Put that together with a highly skilled performer and this promises to be a powerful performance. As Americans, and simply as human beings, we are all effected by this story.” - Eric Bass, Co-Artistic Director, Sandglass Theater