Edinburgh Fringe 2025
Ha
Theatre Company Haraki (Georgia)
Genre: Contemporary, International, New Writing, Physical Theatre, World Theatre
Venue: C ARTS | C venues | C aquila
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Ha, performed by Anano Makharadze and presented by Theatre Company Haraki from Georgia, is a fierce, unapologetic dive into the complexities of memory, injustice, and the quiet aftermath of human cruelty. At just thirty minutes, this monologue invites audiences into an unflinching, visceral exploration of suffering and survival. In a world where the silenced are finally given a voice, Ha stands as a daring artistic statement, uncompromising in its intensity and relentless in its demand for attention.
Review
Ha, performed by Anano Makharadze and presented by Theatre Company Haraki from Georgia, is a striking, intense exploration of memory, injustice, and moral complexity. In just thirty minutes, this monologue invites the audience into a world where the silenced speak and the consequences of human cruelty are felt in every breath. The work is bold in concept and meticulous in execution, demanding focus and engagement, yet it rewards those who immerse themselves in its emotional depth.
Makharadze’s command of body and voice is extraordinary. She begins with structured breathing exercises, which she revealed in a post-show conversation help her maintain diaphragm control and vocal strength. The shifts in tone, pitch, and volume are dramatic and highly effective, heightening the emotional impact and demonstrating rigorous training and technical skill. She admits that performing each show is “emotionally and physically exhausting” highlighting the intensity and personal investment of the performance.
The digital soundscape, created by Ani Zakareishvili, is haunting and carefully layered. While not drawn from lived experiences, it meshes seamlessly with Makharadze’s movements and voice, amplifying the atmosphere of remembrance and moral tension. The minimal set design by Tamri Okhikiani emphasizes the performer’s body as the central instrument of storytelling, drawing the audience into the intimate immediacy of the piece.
The performance’s abstraction presents a challenge. As a reviewer, it was sometimes challenging to read the projected English surtitles above and behind the performer while simultaneously following her vivid facial expressions and physical gestures. Her expressive face and subtle gestures are captivating. Yet, the combination of nudity, rapid vocal shifts, and the positioning of the subtitles occasionally made it tricky to take in the full narrative. This is not a shortcoming but a reflection of the work’s ambitious layering, which demands consistent, uninterrupted engagement from its audience. Should this be a prerequisite? Perhaps, in our ever-shortening and narrowing attention and focus spans, this could be just the honing and tuning we need to really listen.
In conversation, Makharadze shared that this is her first Fringe and her first UK performance. Flyering has proved daunting and uncomfortable for her, yet she approached it with professionalism and an understanding of its integral part of the EdFringe experience. Many readers will be likely to empathise, whilst others relish in the opportunity to shout about their show on the cobbles. Despite not having any current plans to return to the Fringe, her artistry and commitment shine clearly on stage. This haunting work, written by Mariam Megvinyte, can be enjoyed on stages in Berlin and in her native Georgia.
Ha earns a Daring Work rating for its technical precision, emotional resonance, and daring exploration of difficult themes. The performance is challenging yet profoundly affecting, hinting at a larger, deeply personal work. While its abstraction may test some viewers, it leaves a lasting impression of skill, bravery, and thoughtful, disciplined theatrical craft.
