IAIN EWOK ROBINSON IS LIVE AT MUSHO!

Ewok satisfies fans with his superb rhyming skills and thought-provoking lyrics. (Review by Shika Budhoo)

This show featured the talents of Iain ‘Ewok’ Robinson himself assisted on audio by DJ Veranda Panda (Liam Magner). In this latest show of his, Ewok satisfies fans with his superb rhyming skills and thought-provoking lyrics.

The show focuses a lot on self image, projected image, a damaged image, the media and its control on a society that is ever willing to follow and feed on whatever they provide, regardless of possible negative consequences. Like most of the shows that Ewok brings to theatres, it highlighted the importance of the need for a self-aware and conscious society.

“Whoever controls the media- the images- controls the culture.” –Allen Ginsberg, 1926-1997. The piece was divided into three sections, Act Won: The Catchphrase King ‘in which cool things get said to cool the head’; Act Too: What You See And What You Get ‘where just because its “LIVE!” doesn’t mean that its happening right now’… and Act Free: Freak Out ‘because “Of course they like it LIVE!”.’

The three sections are distinctly different in style rhythm and rhyme. Innovative in his design and the mechanisms used, it added another lever of interest every time the focus shifted to a different part on stage, or to the screen projecting typical media images, distorted media images, Ewok himself and amusing links and ‘aside’ comments that occurred concurrently with the live action. The interaction between what is seen on the screen and what is done live drives the message of mediocrity or rather MEDIA-ocrity! To be after seeing something being, to think what you think you’re thinking, but actually thinking what other things want you to think. The piece keeps you thinking, it reflects a society distorted by its own thoughts as well as the actions taken on beliefs based on the distortion.

Another clear message expressing the essence of the piece was “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” – J Krishnamurti. Ewok emphasized this statement with controlling cool collected and quirky rhymes that had the audience at times responding and other times completely contemplative. Veranda Panda brought some awesome beats assisting Ewok in his performance. -Shika Budhoo