Over 1,000 liters of finely sifted topsoil will be used as an earthy prop for this weekend’s performances of Last Ward by Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre. This acclaimed production takes audiences into a man’s final days in a hospital, juxtaposing the sterile hospital setting with the all-too-human experience of death and dying. The role of dirt in Last Ward is powerful and lauded in the production’s New York Times’ “Critic’s Pick”review.
“The soil in Last Ward—which starts as a trickle tracked in by a shoe—serves as a metaphor for the patient’s impending death, and conveys the connection between man and the earth as repository for individual and collective memory, identity, and home,” says YSDT performer and Executive Director, Zoe Rabinowitz.“ The work also draws attention to the inherent tension that exists between modern medicine’s emphasis on preserving life versus the natural process of dying.”
While it may seem simple to add such an everyday object to the stage, procuring soil of the right texture and color, and “cleaning” it to remove debris, is a multi-step process. Austin Powers, a Production Technician with Duke University’s Venue and Production Management team, took us behind the scenes to reveal the impressive prep work it takes to make this stage element performance-ready.
Topsoil can be composed of many elements, and it varies by location, becoming an organic variable in a touring production like Last Ward. The soil in North Carolina is not what the dancers worked with in New York, or in Abu Dhabi, for example. The process begins with selecting the right materials. Once the soil is selected, the production team gets to work by using a pneumatic chisel and screen to separate mulch and rough particles from the soil. Afterward, the team spreads and rakes the soil across the stage to dry, preparing it for the live performances. Watch the video below for an inside look.
The soil in Last Ward—which starts as a trickle tracked in by a shoe—serves as a metaphor for the patient’s impending death, and conveys the connection between man and the earth as repository for individual and collective memory, identity, and home. The work also draws attention to the inherent tension that exists between modern medicine’s emphasis on preserving life versus the natural process of dying.
—Zoe Rabinowitz, Executive Director of Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre
About the Performance
“Last Ward” by Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre takes audiences into a man’s final days in a hospital, blending dance and theater to reflect on life and loss with humor and candor. Featuring 5 monologues in Arabic with English supertitles, this powerful piece invites us to confront the universal experience of death.
A New York Times Critics’ Pick, Last Ward is a work of dance theatre that follows one man’s journey towards death in a hospital room. This highly visual evening length performance is performed in Arabic with English supertitles.
A Duke Health exclusive 60-minute matinee performance of Last Ward that intertwines an abbreviated presentation with a conversation about the artists’ creative process and the role of the arts in healthcare. A New York Times Critics’ Pick, Last Ward is a work of dance theatre that follows one man’s journey towards death in a hospital room.