With a slap of a young woman’s foot on wood and an elbow jabbed to the sky, Arthur Pita’s God’s Garden bursts out of Eden and surges into an earthy mix of sin, jealousy and revenge. Set in Madeira in a suburban back garden, the piece is a take on the parable ‘The Prodigal Son’, following the narrative of a vengeful jilted bride and runaway groom. Traditional Portuguese folk dance is mixed with grounded, angular contemporary movement and satirical interpretations of typical flouncy love duets. Sprinkled with Portuguese text and song the piece is like watching a foreign film, with an ambiguity that leaves the audience with intrigue and uncertainty.   

However, the pain and empowerment of women is the real subject of this story. Three women represent iconic stages in female life: a Bride (Helen Auschauer), a Grandmother (Dianne Payne-Myers), and a young woman yearning for a child (Scarlett Perdereau). They each long for what they have not got (a husband, a baby and youth), yet the three have unique strengths in overcoming their problems. The Bride has the power of revenge, standing directly on-top of her Groom’s foetal body. The Sister has an almost demonic command where in scenes of devilish rage she stops time with her arms spread wide, looking to the heavens. The Grandmother, on the other hand, shows great strength through her extravagant solo of high kicks and splits, an astounding feat for an 84 year old woman.

What is most striking about the piece is the attention to detail. Providing a lesson in choreographic timing and wit, no stone is left unturned for Pita. If a shovel hits the ground, earth is placed beneath it; when the two women of the house wash the Son (Nuno Queimado), every of his body is covered; he even stands on his head so they can reach his feet. Pita has a knack for comic timing and quirky additions. In one such moment, Payne-Myers maps out her grave with the help of the Father (Michael Small) and her walking stick. Manipulating Payne-Myers's body with the stick to drag, lift and shuffle her into the right position (arms crossed across her chest), when Small is finally done, he hands her a shovel and she begins to dig.

In the penultimate night of their revival tour in Birmingham’s Patrick Centre, this diverse cast provided a meticulous, intriguing and surprising performance. Pita’s uniquely idiosyncratic approach creates a fresh look on this well-known parable in black comedy style. Nevertheless, the real charm of the piece is in the dysfunctional family dynamic, which through its oddities seems uncannily familiar.