Istanbul is hüzün: a feeling combining deep spiritual loss and hope. It is not an individual but a communal emotion. Kadir „Amigo” Memis’ Hüzün is not primarily about the choreographer’s private story but about the personal he/story of the 1.73 million Turks in Germany. Amigo moved to Berlin at the age of ten. As most of the immigrant children he was torn between the two cultures, not knowing where he belonged. “Come home, you can play later!”; „Calm down, stop crying. Everybody is watching us.”; „Not like that!” – the constant pressure of the parents drove him mad. Getting older he had to appreciate the barbarious rule, the key to survival in the street: “the dispute begins, the stronger he wins” – says Bektas Turhan. This is how many turn to a real man.
Hiphop, acting, poetry, live music and film… the interdisciplinary performances can be fascinating if just everything has its place. But it is a slippery slope that can end in a selfish listing of skills. Amigo’s Hüzün is the latter to me. The videos are interesting. The acting is credible, especially the role of the rapper Turhan. The delicate symbolism creates deep in thought. The live music (Nevzat Akpinar, baglama; and Andreas Weiser, percussion) is involving. The quotes of Turhan’s Berlin and, in contrast, and Orhan Veli Kanik’s Istanbul are a real treasure to this play. The popping dance is acceptable (although Andrea Böge outshines the other two dancers, Louis Becker and the choreographer Kadir Memis). Yet, as a whole it failed to convey any strong message. No capturing scenes, no clear plot - we left with an unresolved, apathetic feeling. “I hear Istanbul, my eyes are closed”… “I listen to Berlin with my eyes wide open”. Well, I had better closed my eyes now. Get your own impressions about Amigo:
