A solo show with storytelling, comedy, clown, dance and music told from the point of view of a Sephardi Grandmother with themes of heritage, food, authenticity, solidarity and victimhood – performed by Michal Nahman, presented by Kiota, showcasing Artists from the Global Majority
Welcome to the world of Savta, a slightly tetchy Turkish Sephardi grandmother. She’s here and she’s not here. A ghost conjuring timeless Jewish foods, anxieties and migrations. With her we laugh, cry and everything in between as she seeks to escape the ever repeating emotions that draw her back to us.
Bendichas Manos (Blessed Hands) shares lovable Savta holding a mirror to authenticity, nostalgia and victimhood in the Jewish eternal experience. She explores her past and realises the true meaning of love and solidarity in real progress for the world.
Blessed Hands/Bendichas Manos is a solo show written and performed by Dr Michal Nahman, produced by Kiota and directed by Aisha Ali that takes scholarly research into Sephardi and Mizrachi foodways and identities to the public. It tells the tales and tragedies of one fictionalised woman, an amalgamation of interviews and historical research, through acting, comedy, dance and song.
Please join us for this exciting 1 hour solo show, which is followed by an additional Sephardi inspired Supper Club at Coexist Community Kitchen on Thursday 24th September to talk about the themes of the show and present the history of the food involved.
In collaboration with Feeding Bristol, funded by Shoresh UK and Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation.
Illustration by Tomasin Menes-Cuthbert