UKRLAND – Unity, Liverpool

An aesthetically outstanding performance sharing the untold stories of survival, strength and determination of ordinary women living in Ukraine.  Their endurance in maintaining the idea of hope and love in the face of fear, death and hate is powerful and poignant in this mesmerising and incredible show.   

Following its acclaimed UK tour, this breath taking one woman show arrives in Liverpool as part of ‘A Place of Hope’, a two-week long free programme celebrating Ukraine with an incredible schedule of music, dance, movement and poetry.  UKRLAND, a combination of ‘Ukraine’ and ‘land’, documents 8 stories written by Ukrainian playwrights and the unique perspectives from women experiencing the horrors of war first hand. Created by theatre makers Yurii Radionov and Shorena Shoniia who fled their home city Kyiv in June this year, UKRLAND perfectly captures the life changing, devastating effects of war.  Nuances explored include detailed accounts from the emotional trauma of families broken apart as they flee their homes to how the physical body reacts to an outbreak of war.

From the opening scene, the arrangement of these stories is visibly stunning. This is storytelling at its best led by a spectacular performance by Shorena Shoniia who, from the striking opening scene through to the final release of breath from performer, truly captivates its audience.  The attention to detail in the writing is reflected in the thoughtful combination of Shoniia’s physical embodiment, the use of lighting and sound which with ease, allows the imagination to feel and sense the full environment of each person.  You can see THEM telling you their story.   

The relentless, unnerving sound of air sirens is simulated with the sweet harmony of a woman’s voice, complimenting the binary of love and war. Each story seamlessly flows into the next with Shoniia effortlessly displaying a full range of emotions through use of physicality, voice and movement. There is creative use and clever adaptability of props using items which you may find amongst a landscape devastated by war.  A large branch becomes a seat, apple tree and the horns of a bull whilst bin bags littering the stage are used to create costume from a tutu to a priest’s headdress.  Spurts of colour from the beautiful white traditional gown to the redness of the apples carefully placed within the set are vibrant against the dark, dreary backdrop which represents the torn landscape savaged by bombs and army machine guns.

The piece is delivered using a beautiful blend of Ukrainian and English with subtitles in both languages displayed on a screen at the side of the stage. Finding a balance between fear, anger and loving tenderness, this dynamic, brilliant piece of storytelling is a respectful testament to the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people. In solidarity we stand.

You can catch ‘A Place of Hope’ a programme hosting an incredible range of Ukrainian artists curated by Unity in partnership with Ukrainian theatre makers Yurii Radionov and Shorena Shoniia, commissioned by Culture Liverpool for the Eurovision Cultural Festival 2023.  All tickets for the programme are free, book tickets online.  For more information visit https://www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/whats-on/a-place-of-hope-a-two-week-celebration-of-ukraine-at-unity/

Reviewer: Gill Lewis

Reviewed: 3^rd May 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★