THE INANNA PROJECT
Directed by: Thomas Richards
Assistant director: Jessica Losilla-Hébrail
Performers: Hyun Ju Baek, Ettore Brocca, Kei Franklin, Alejandro Linares,
Jessica Losilla-Hébrail, Fabio Pagano and Thomas Richards
Photo by Ping Hsu
six Epic Poems and Three Hymns
Photo by Chiara Previtali
In the first days, in the very first days,
In the first nights, in the very first nights,
In the first years, in the very first years,
In the first days when everything needed was brought into being,
In the first days when everything needed was properly nourished,...
INANNA AND THE HULUPPU TREE
At that time, a tree, a single tree, a huluppu- tree
Was planted by the banks of the Euphrates.
Inanna cared for the tree with her hand.
She settled the earth around the tree with her foot.
She wondered:
“How long will it be until I have a shining throne to sit upon?
How long will it be until I have a shining bed to lie upon?”
"I take them!"
INANNA AND
THE GOD OF WISDOm
Enki [the God of Wisdom], swaying with drink, toasted Inanna:
"In the name of my power! In the name of my holy shrine!
To my daughter Inanna I shall give
The high priesthood! Godship!
The noble, enduring crown! The throne of kingship!"
Inanna replied:
"I take them!"
Photo by Photo by Ping Hsu
THE COURTSHIP OF INANNA AND DUMUZI
"Brother, after you've brought my bridal sheet to me,
(...)
who will go to bed with me?”
Inanna spread the bridal sheet across the bed.
She called to the king:
"The bed is ready!"
She called to her bridegroom:
"The bed is waiting!”
(...)
Sweet is the sleep of hand-to-hand.
Sweeter still the sleep of heart-to-heart.
Photo by Ping Hsu
From the Great Above she opened her ear to the Great Below.
From the Great Above the goddess opened her ear to the Great Below.
From the Great Above Inanna opened her ear to the Great Below.
THE DESCENT OF INANNA
When she entered the seventh gate,
From her body the royal robe was removed.
Inanna asked:
"What is this?"
She was told:
"Quiet, Inanna, the ways of the underworld are perfect. (...)"
Naked and bowed low, Inanna entered the throne room.
Photo by LEIW XUAN HE
THE DREAM OF DUMUZI
The churn was silent.
No milk was poured.
The cup was shattered. Dumuzi was no more.
The sheepfold was given to the winds.
The galla climbed the reed fence.
The first galla struck Dumuzi on the cheek with a piercing nail,
The second galla struck Dumuzi on the other cheek with the shepherd's crook,
The third galla smashed the bottom of the churn,
The fourth galla threw the drinking cup down from its peg,
The fifth galla shattered the churn,
The sixth galla shattered the cup,
The seventh galla cried:
(…)
"Take off your holy crown from your head!
Take off your me- garment from your body!
Let your royal sceptre fall to the ground!
Take off your holy sandals from your feet!
Naked, you will go with us!”
*Me: Attributes of civilization, and the set of divine decrees, power, or universal and immutable rules and limits which had to be observed by god and man alike.
Photo by Tobiasz Papuczys
THE RETURN
Inanna wept for Dumuzi:
"Gone is my husband, my sweet husband.
Gone is my love, my sweet love."
(...)
There is mourning in the house.
There is grief in the inner chambers.
The sister wandered about the city, weeping for her brother.
(...)
"The day that dawns for you will also dawn for me.
The day that you will see I will also see.
I would find my brother! I would comfort him!
I would share his fate!"
Photo by LEIW XUAN HE
HYMNS TO INANNA
The Holy Priestess of Heaven
I say, "Hail!" to the Holy One who appears in the heavens!
I say, "Hail!" to the Holy Priestess of Heaven!
I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, Great Lady of Heaven!
Holy Torch! You fill the sky with light!
You brighten the day at dawn!
I say, "Hail!" to Inanna, Great Lady of Heaven!
The Lady of the Morning
Honored Counselor, Ornament of Heaven, Joy of An!
When sweet sleep has ended in the bedchamber,
You appear like bright daylight.
The Lady of the evening
My Lady looks in sweet wonder from heaven.
The people of Sumer parade before the holy Inanna.
Inanna, the Lady of the Evening, is radiant.
I sing your praises, holy Inanna.
About The Inanna Project
The poems and hymns dedicated to the figure of Inanna in The Inanna Project are based upon texts found in:
INANNA: QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.
HARPER & ROW, PUBLISHERS, New York
Cambridge, Philadelphia, San Francisco,
London, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Sydney
Copyright © 1983 by Diane Wolkstein and
Noah Kramer. All rights reserved.
Theatre No Theatre would like to express its gratitude to the Estate of Diane Wolkstein, c/o Rachel Zucker, for granting Theatre No Theatre permission for the usage of these texts.
Meet the audiences
Photo by Ping Hsu
人民日报 People’s Daily
November 25, 2024
This is an attempt to return to the original. Singing styles of different languages and cultures meet in the theater. Between repeated singing, the deep cultural significance of each singing method continues to emerge, and the connection between individuals and traditions, the present and the past, and the local and exotic regions are interconnected. People approach each other in the song, walk into the play, look up to a nobler spirit, and sprout purer emotions. This is the magic of theater and the charm of drama.
China
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Photo by ©Wuzhen Theatre Festival
Instagram @photobook0629
June 22nd, 2024
... This long-term creative project, based on Sumerian poems, brought the ancient story of the high priestess Inanna to life in a modern context. It was an incredible experience, blending rich history with contemporary interpretation...
South Korea
Photo by LEIW XUAN HE
Grotowski.net, Dariusz Kosiński (Theatre critic and professor at Jagiellonian University, Poland)
June 28, 2024
[The Inanna Project] was full of humor, lightness, subversive dynamics, and joy, ...
Leading the whole thing, Thomas [Richards] was ... a trickster, who, playing with his practical knowledge, his achievements, traditions, and with us, takes us somewhere we haven't been before.
Poland
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Photo by ©Wuzhen Theatre Festival
Instagram @voiceinprogress
March 5, 2024
Incredible, honest, powerful, vibrant, light, deep, absolutely moving work of Theatre No Theatre artists! In terms of voice... this is it. Full vibration, unblocked expression, comunicative storytelling ongoing stream of impulses, ah! Delicious!
Poland
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Photo by Ping Hsu
Blank Space Studio
April 27, 2024
'Inspiring performance by Theatre No Theatre. Their songs take you to another dimension. Tonight was beautifully curated by Blank Space Studio.'
'A very alive performance by some very alive people,'
'Powerful, punchy, beautiful.'
'What a great night. Thanks for taking me to the different world.'
'And all of them doing it together makes it much much more powerful. Very Alive.'
Hong Kong
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Photo by ©Wuzhen Theatre Festival
Xiaohongshu (小红书) ID: 罗涣涣
October 25, 2024
They sing with their lives.
You can see the actors' sweat, the veins straining in their limbs, and the flush of their faces.
We breathe together, we feel together.
It’s hard to describe the shock this performance brought me.
China