In Israel, a live statue festival has arrived with Spanish as well as local Israeli performers sweeping the streets.

But what does being a live statue involve?

[Zohar Karniel, Street Actor]:

“To be a statue, I don’t know if it’s more interesting, but it’s interesting in a different type of way; it’s a lot of passiveness, it’s more a thing of observing the street, working with a lot of inner peace and from that connecting to people.”

After layers of make-up and intricate costumes, characters evolve and are able to come out of their sells for the performance.

[Tamar Ankori, Actress]:

“I really like street theatre, I also have statues that I make, and the direct connection to the audience, with all the suspense, risk and accessibility that it has, it’s a wonderful thing and as far as I’m concerned only then does the character start, when she meets the audience only then you know something about her."

Many different acts were present in the festival. Shai brought angels to the scene.

[Shai, Yoga Teacher and Computer Engineer]:

“God is sitting in the middle and four arch angels are guarding each side, Michael, Gabriel, Rafael and Oriel and sometimes they guard the four sides and sometimes they just sing and dance for God.”

A live statue allows one to freeze a movement and bring a painting to life; this is how Odelia got her inspiration in her performence.

[Odelia, Live Comic Coming to Life]:

“I’ve been doing this for a long time now, a lot of street theatre, and it’s fun, every time a new audience, new energies, it just happens from the street, it’s from itself.”

The interaction with the audience is said to be key to a successful performance. And so different statues have different ways of reaching out.

[Odelia, Live Comic Coming to Life]:

“All the time there is interaction, that is what makes it alive every time, I can do the same statue for years and every performance could be something else, because it depends on the audience.”

And it seems like the audience is enjoying themselves.

Linoy Markram, NTD News, Israel
Videographer:Anat Markram