Theatre

i am root

A Ukrainian-Canadian woman's exploration of culture, life, death & Vegemite in the Land Down Under.

$31.00
Sessions & Tickets View Comments
A woman gleefully holds up a beetroot with its stems and leaves attached. She is wearing all black with a traditional Ukrainian coral necklace. A stuffed kangaroo and a Ukrainian scarf are visible in the background.
A woman kneels in the dark on the floor washing her hands in an illuminated vessel on the floor. Her face and hands are lit blue from the water below her. She is wearing all black with a traditional Ukrainian coral necklace.
A black and white photo of a woman sitting on a suitcase with a contemplative expression. Behind her is a maple leaf, a stuffed kangaroo and a Ukrainian scarf.
Past Event

Image Credit: Daniel Marks

A woman gleefully holds up a beetroot with its stems and leaves attached. She is wearing all black with a traditional Ukrainian coral necklace. A stuffed kangaroo and a Ukrainian scarf are visible in the background.
A woman kneels in the dark on the floor washing her hands in an illuminated vessel on the floor. Her face and hands are lit blue from the water below her. She is wearing all black with a traditional Ukrainian coral necklace.
A black and white photo of a woman sitting on a suitcase with a contemplative expression. Behind her is a maple leaf, a stuffed kangaroo and a Ukrainian scarf.

  • Created and Performed by: Olenka Toroshenko

  • Sound design: Will Spartalis

  • Outside Eye: Erin Fowler Movement

Most of us are transplants. Uprooted from one country and resettled, making home in another's. What happens when culture, language and ancestry are left behind?

Told from the perspective of a Ukrainian-Canadian living in Australia, this ritual performance piece is a topical, deep and playful exploration (Akubras & Vegemite rituals involved) of culture, identity and belonging in the land down under. A blend of song, dance, clown, folk traditions, Ukrainian language, recipes, storytelling, spoken word poetry and prayer.

Seed. Water. Root. Grow. Harvest. Eat. Die. Decompose. Repeat.

Adelaide Fringe 2022 weekly Jon Chataway Innovation Award for 'i am root'.
Adelaide Fringe 2023 weekly Emerging Award for 'i am root'.

"Her voice is amazing... powerful and humbling" ★★★★★ - Glam Adelaide
"She’s a natural story-teller" ★★★★ - The AU Review
"A fun and fiery melting pot" ★★★★ - All About Entertainment

This project received Cash for Equity through the Fringe Fund, as part of the Ralph Mclean Microgrants program.

About Olenka Toroshenko

Olenka Toroshenko is a Ukrainian Canadian artist, writer and producer whose life is in service to a saner, meaningful existence. She is a multidisciplinary performer whose mediums include spoken word poetry, dance, clown, song, storytelling, butoh and ritual performance art. Issues of cultural preservation and death are common themes of her work.

Olenka’s most recent projects include: Tobiah Booth Remmers’/ The Australian Dance Theatre’s experimental improvisational work, ‘From the Other Side of Chaos’; Allara & Olenka Live at Triple RRR, the release of her original spoken work poetry single ‘Hungry Ghost’, Spotlight (The Mill, Adelaide)/BrandX(BrandX, Sydney) Residency for second-stage development of ‘i am root’, and 2020 Slam Poetry State Finalist.

She is a Katonah yoga teacher, student of The Orphan Wisdom School and lover of coniferous forests. She has worked in news broadcasting and politics which helped shape her understanding of the current cultural paradigm and has toured 3 different continents as a singer, poet and dancer. Olenka currently resides in South Australia.

olenkatoroshenko.com

  • Duration: 70 minutes

  • Age suitability: PG

  • Event warnings: Mild Coarse Language, Sustained Loud Noises.

  • Content warnings: Death.

Click HERE for the Access Pack.

  • Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Archive Room
    Cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton, Victoria, 3053

    Wheelchair Access

    Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Archive Room is wheelchair accessible. This venue is wheelchair accessible. Check in with the Front of House team upon arrival for assistance.

    The entrance to the venue is on Lygon St. You can head up the front stairs and through the main doors, from there head right to get to the Loading Dock.
    If you need step free access, there is lift at the front of the building and our team will be able to guide you from there to the Loading Dock.

    Once you're in the Loading Dock you can head straight through to the Victoria Street Building where the Archive Room is on your left.

    Get directions See all events at this venue See detailed venue & access information

  • Full: $31.00

  • Hump Day Discount: $23.25

  • Extra Applause: $31.00

  • Blak Tix: $20.00

  • Concession: $25.00

  • Group 6+: $27.00

  • Member discounts available

    This event is eligible for 25% off full price Fringe Dweller tickets. Just add the tickets that you want then login at checkout and you'll get the cheapest tickets. If you're not a member yet, simply add a membership to your cart and you'll be able to access Fringe Dweller prices straight away.

"Her voice is amazing... powerful and humbling" -Glam Adelaide

glamadelaide.com.au

"She’s a natural story-teller" -The AU Review

theaureview.com

"A fun and fiery melting pot" -All About Entertainment

adelaidefringe.com.au

Sessions: In Person Events

A single $5.50 transaction fee applies to your booking.

Date Time Venue

Wednesday, 11 October 2023

5:45pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Archive Room

Hump Day
 Past Event

Thursday, 12 October 2023

5:45pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Archive Room

 Past Event

Friday, 13 October 2023

5:45pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Archive Room

 Past Event

Saturday, 14 October 2023

5:45pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Archive Room

 Past Event

Sunday, 15 October 2023

4:45pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Archive Room

 Past Event

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