TRAILER
SYNOPSIS
RATS! MY WORLD Z’A STAGE
Stepping out of the shadows of Shakespeare, Maija Devine’s “My World Z’A Stage” shines a light on the complexities of love, the nature of artifice, and the power of self-discovery. Prepare to be entranced.
– Written By Maija Di Giorgio & Adam Greenbaum
RATS! My World Z’A Stage is a theatrical tour de force that will challenge, delight, and leave you rethinking everything… and maybe even humming a tune. Maija, a virtuoso of character and concept, breathes new life into Shakespeare’s most iconic figures, transporting them into a modern, relatable realm. Her performances are a masterclass in comedy and existential exploration, making the Bard’s wisdom feel fresh and deeply relevant.
But this show isn’t just about hilarious impersonations. As Maija slips into each role, she becomes ensnared in a complex web of manipulation and self-discovery. This ingenious narrative structure, inspired by Shakespeare’s As You Like It, forces Maija to confront the irony that her carefully constructed personas are keeping her from true connection. Like Prospero’s magic in The Tempest, she must shed her artifice to find genuine love… and perhaps even find her voice in song.
My World Z’A Stage blends biting wit, poignant drama, timeless insight, and catchful musical numbers. It’s a chance to witness Shakespeare reimagined at its brilliant best – through the talents of Maija. Don’t miss this unforgettable experience that will leave you both entertained and profoundly changed.
REVIEW
SPOTLIGHT -RATS!
Maija Di Giorgio presented her one woman show “.
RATS!” for one night only at NewYork’s Nada 45.The story written by Maija Di Giorgio and Adam Simon is one everyone can relate to. They bill the show as “Love and Obsession (For Neurotics); Shakespeare for People with Attention Deficit Disorder.” All true. Proving love has been misunderstood, misused and mishandled throughout the centuries “.
‘..RATS!” offers classic tales and transforms them into modern poignant observations. The intelligent and well thought-out script paints one woman’s neurotic picture of love through the eyes of six different characters, clearly marking common ground with the audience. These writers brilliantly add humor to the reasoning behind what otherwise might be depressing thoughts regarding love, and created a winner.
Great writing on the page doesn’t always mean a great show- the performance always makes the ultimate difference. Maija Di Giorgio portrays each of her six characters with obvious commitment while letting loose tremendous talent. Opening as herself, a self proclaimed “love sick girl who dons a variety of masks in her exploration of love,” she immediately mesmerized the audience with her charisma and pure ability; they had bond-ed, attendees were hooked. Then she created the atmosphere of an Inner City apartment house with the complex yet street sawy thoughts of Famika, a wanna be fly girl, who impress me more her portrayal of male char-acter, Qwafu Fuqua, secured thoughts that I was lucky to have witnessed this perfor-mance. This woman has a vast range of vocal ability and the rare ability to pull off a very wide variety of characters with ease. She describes Qwafu as a “street “Hamlet”, a symbol of angry youth and confused impotence, totally self involved.” Her performance defined her description. Maija reemerged as Ruth, “a middle-aged lush, a portrait of mid-life delu-sion.” As an artist Maija supplied solid framework for this abstract character. Hilariously poignant lines fell believably through Ruth’s alcohol drenched lips. Throughout the show, Maija’s throaty, powerful and expressive voice brings blues to the heartfelt home they were derived from. As a dedicated blues fan myself, I found her outrageous version of “If I Can’t Sell It’ put Ruth Brown’s years behind. Also a quick change artist, Maija went on to portray an old Sicilian grandmother, Katherina. One with the character, the dialect nailed, she proceeded to offer candy to the audience, “take, take.” Old world thinking disguised with bits of humor rivets you to her. Lastly she was Henry, based on her Uncle, an old time black entertainer/hoofer. Wisdom and experience exuded from his speech. Maija again displayed countless abilities while adding tap dancing to her repertoire. The excruciating heat in the building didn’t seem to phase anyone in the room- an hour felt like only fifteen minutes. Seemingly the audience disregarded their sweat as though they were heated up by her generous display of talent.
Quite a talented woman, I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of Maija Di Giorgio. If …RATS!” comes your way- don’t miss it.
