Flag dance that stepped on a nation’s pride
ArmRadio.am
03.02.2007 12:44
The modern dance performance was billed as a frank expression of
friendship between Britain and Armenia. Instead, Nigel Charnock’s solo
show provoked diplomatic outrage after he was accused by the Armenian
Culture Minister of desecrating the national flag, Tony Halpin and
Gayane Abrahamyan write in The Times.
The authors go on to say, `Charnock, a noted dancer, has been called a
` national treasure’ by British critics and praised for his `eerie
brilliance’ and `profligate talent’ by The Times. The British Council
had described Frank, Charnock’s one-hour improvised performance, as `a
stand-up, sit-down, leap-around live show that picks you up, calls you
names and lets you in on some home truths’.
But the name-calling was largely done by Hasmik Poghosyan, the Culture
Minister, after Charnock, on his first visit to the country, had
placed Armenian and British flags on the stageand danced on them
before an audience at the Stanislavsky State Theatre, in Yerevan, on
Wednesday.
Mrs. Poghoysan, 46, who was not at the performance, ordered a second
show to be cancelled and accused Charnock of committing a criminal
offence punishable by up to a year in prison. She declared: `It is
unacceptable for us that someone who is considered a national treasure
in Britain would bring such low-quality art to Armenia.
`We honour the high art of British theatre and are sure that from the
Queen to ordinary Britons the greatest pride and treasure is
Shakespeare. It appears that the English perception of treasures has
been drastically devalued and Nigel Charnock is its best evidence.’
Mrs. Poghosyan said that she was not censoring artistic expression
but acting to prevent disrespectful treatment of Armenia’s flag.
`Charnock may treat the British flag as he likes. He can drop it on
the floor, step on it, chew it or swallow it, but it is unacceptable
and punishable by law to treat the Armenian flag that way,’ she said.
At a press conference called swiftly by the British Council, a
chastened Charnock, 45, offered his `unconditional apologies’. He told
reporters: `All I’ m trying to do is communicate love.’
The Culture Ministry lifted the ban, provided that Charnock promised
not to repeat the offence, but by then it was too late to reschedule
the performance and the dancer flew home.’