!! Tamara Ober of Zenon Dance Company, creator of critically acclaimed, "Pipa" (2009), and "FLESH" (2011) returns with a new dance/theater solo show "SIN EATER" !! 

Glory is called home to her estranged father's deathbed and is sent on a mission to find a Sin Eater. She pursues this dark beast through a haunted forest in an attempt to save her father's soul.

“Elegantly graceful, truly frightening. An electric piece of physical theater with striking images” ~ Winnipeg CBC

"A must-see" (Four Stars) ~ Winnipeg Free Press

Cast + crew

Tamara Ober
Role: Creator/Performer
Tamara has been with Zenon since 2002. She received a BFA in Dance and BA in Sociology from the University of Minnesota in 2001. Tamara has consulted in the development of programs for the Northrop Auditorium, ICLA masters program in Austria, and Perpich Center for Arts Education in collaboration with the Walker Art Center’s Out There series. In 2009 she created the critically acclaimed multidisciplinary solo show “Pipa” which toured throughout the United States and Canada, as well as Budapest, and was awarded Montreal Fringe Festival’s Runner up for Best English Language Production. Tamara is also the recipient of a 2009 SAGE Award for outstanding performer, a City Pages 2009 Artist of the Year, and Metro Magazine’s 2011 Keeper Award.

Write a review

You will be able to write a review for this show during the festival.

User reviews

Genre-bending and intense
by Kathy Ahlers
Rating 5 stars
Starting with an eerie slow-motion scene, Tamara Ober's "Sin Eater" immediately lays down foreshadowing of trials to come. Alternating between active and meditative sequences, she blends theater and dance, occasionally speaking lines which provide background…but also liberally employing silence and stillness to generate a pulsing anticipation. The dancing is world-class Ober, the raw beastliness absolutely riveting, the occasional humor envelopingly playful. (I second the thought that the strobe sequence is far too long, the bench movements and spoken elements maybe a bit too frequent, and the ending jarringly incongruous… But…I still loved it!)

wow
by Frayed Edge
Rating 5 stars
outstanding movement, creative and well executed technically, compelling story, it literally brought tears to my eyes.

Scale:
0-Terrible
1-Tell your friends not to go
2-A bad fringe show, below par for the festival. Don't Bother
3-Worth seeing, don't go out of your way.
4-Good to Great. Make time for this show.
5-Absolutely outstanding. A great show, festival or otherwise.

Exceptnal performer
by Will Weisert
Rating 5 stars
Tamara Ober skillfully crafts a compelling story through dance/movement, lighting, video, and the spoken word.

Raw, feral power
by Aseem Kaul
Rating 5 stars
There's a lot to be critical of in this show - the script is a barely coherent collection of homilies, Ms. Ober is a decidedly average actress, and the lighting designer is a little too infatuated with strobe lights.

None of which really matters, because Ms. Ober is also one of the finest dancers in the city, and delivers here a performance of such exhilarating, primal force, that it is a privilege just to watch her move on stage. Sin Eater is a performance that speaks directly to the id, and a thrill not to be missed.

More Showcase Than Show
by Dave Romm
Rating 5 stars
Tamara Ober has to create her own category of movement, somewhere between ballet and mime. "Sin Eater" develops very slowly, telling a simple story yet powerful and personal with tremendous ramifications. She relies heavily on music and lighting, and uses both to great effect. The narrative never really resolves, but that doesn't detract from the imagery; her interaction works in the small Fringe venue. In a different mood I might have given fewer than five stars, but almost everyone in the theater was affected; more than a few were teary. Five stars.

Primal
by David Woolley
Rating 5 stars
Tamara Ober's performance grabs you by the entrails and doesn't let go. Very little is spoken or explained, but there's no need; this show communicates on a different level.

Absolutely phenomenal.

Don't miss this
by Wayne Nealis
Rating 5 stars
Tamara tells a story via movement, text and props that is magical, poignant and meaningful. Her new piece is on its way to the earning the acclaim of her first solo work...Pipa. In Sin Eater she tackles another challenging theme to communicate via dance and performance art and does it with intensity, grace and compassion.

Wow
by Andrew Troth
Rating 5 stars
Um. I'd give it six or ten or maybe twelve stars if I could. Masterful use of projections and shadows on top of an absolutely incredible display of physical control and versatility, with an unexpectedly compelling storyline. Just wow.

Going home is a long journey
by Fringivitis Vulgaris
Rating 5 stars
Tamara Ober is an amazing performer of physical theater and dance. In this show she uses a folk myth to tell a very personal story. She also makes the best Fringe use of Intermedia's video screen of any show I've seen.

Strength and Beauty
by Isabel Nelson
Rating 5 stars
Tamara is one of our community's most gifted physical performers. This piece is personal, powerful, and not to be missed. Brava!

Six Stars!!
by Corinna Troth
Rating 5 stars
This is a six star show. Maybe seven. Absolutely breathtaking work from Ms. Ober. So many images that will stick with me always. So much story told through pure movement. The river...spectacular. It took my breath away. The stars, similarly. I felt the strobe sequence was longer than I was comfortable watching strobe, but ultimately...I can't even criticize that, because I think she had her reasons. This is world class storytelling, world class dance, world class message. Pure, distilled excellence.

Amazing, Primal, Powerful !!!!
by Liz Blank
Rating 5 stars
My favorite show so far this year!!

I love her personal explanation at the end too. What our parents were subjected to, adds to our own baggage and what we experience in life.

Getting There ... and Back
by Mark Mikula
Rating 4 stars
The show's strongest moments are in the water and among the stars, but I was also quite moved by the subtleties in some of the less active sequences. It cannot be easy to expend so much energy and maintain composure when the action goes from frantic to measured. This is one of those shows where your own life journey helps determine how enthusiastic you will be about the piece. That seems like it could be said about any show, but this one has so much more for you to map to since the narrative is primarily visual.

Marvelous.
by Amber Bjork
Rating 5 stars
I'm still thinking about this the next day. I'm not sure what I think of the story and its resolution, but I can say this. What Tamara Ober can do with her body--either in motion or stillness--is amazing. She is an artist of the highest form, and I am happy to watch and marvel at whatever she serves up. Marvelous.

Wow
by Caroline Toll
Rating 5 stars
American Voodoo straight from the hills of Appalachia - and yet told with such... ferocity.... that it felt universal. Yay, Ms. Ober.

where the wild things are
by Linda Breitag
Rating 5 stars
No words will make you understand what Tamara is doing here; that's why it's dance, and has to be seen. This woman is BRAVE. If the average Fringe show is first grade, the Sin Eater is a graduate honors seminar: Dark Night of the Soul and the Girl Who Lived. Like comparing apples and...star nebulae, maybe. What a generous soul to do this deep work and share it with us so freely.

This piece bears witness to the reason art exists in the first place, and the reason art is indispensable. As an artist I am humbled, challenged, renewed, and grateful.

Stirring
by Curt Lund
Rating 4 stars
There's a remarkable economy in Ober's work -- spare yet still somehow decadent. For me, the shadowplay pieces were the most stirring, particularly the water and fire pieces. She had me in the palm of her hand up until the strobe piece. I didn't not 'get it', it just didn't grab me like the rest did.

Tamara Ober is awesome
by Dave Larson
Rating 5 stars
The swimming is worth the price of admission alone, but the subtle movements of riding on a train are also amazing. A very moving and visually arresting dance show.

What Art is All About
by Karen Seay
Rating 5 stars
Art at its best reaches into our psyches and reveals what we almost know about ourselves and our lives but have never actually been able to articulate. That is what Tamara Ober manages to do in this beautiful, grueling piece of dance theatre that uses few but powerful words to enhance the physical and musical story she tells. She uses her amazing expressive body, light, color, projection, music and a few props to take us on a journey that can, if we allow it, reveal to us some of our own deep, unspoken truths about family, war, duty, freedom and courage.

The best show I've seen at the Fringe, and the one I will remember for years to come.

Amazingly physical dancer, storyteller
by Kate Gaynor
Rating 5 stars
Tamara's story again solidly places her expressive face, fantastic dance movements and physical control; she even dances her shoulder blades to spooky effect! Absolutely beautiful. Tamara, one of Minnesota's finest, has again left us breathless.

Dance Dramatics
by Thomas Von Hanks
Rating 5 stars
I usually don't like to see prancing on stage...too many leotards reminds me of my own days in toe shoes. But this one actually had a story and drama. Tamara Ober is not only happy feet but happy hands and arms and all limbs. You must watch this! Beautiful!

love this
by Gemma Irish
Rating 4 stars
I wish the entire show was as strong as its strongest moments, because in those moments this performance is so impactful, moving, gorgeous, devastating, transcendent. I didn't need the explanation at the end - the piece speaks for itself. An amazing show.

Rating system needs more stars
by Chris LaFontaine
Rating 5 stars
I gave it five because that's the most I could, but it should have 12.

If all the other reviews on this page don't entice you to attend a deep, powerful, profoundly moving experience beyond words, then I likely can't add anything to prompt you further. We tried.

Great performance!
by Jeannie Hauser
Rating 5 stars
Absolutely captivating. Anyone looking for something special should see this show.

Fascinating
by Max Wojtanowicz
Rating 5 stars
Tamara Ober is entirely captivating in this dance requiem. I want the whole soundtrack!

glorious
by Dave Stagner
Rating 5 stars
I've been a fan of Tamara's since 2009's "Pipa". This is the best work I've yet seen from her. She can really tell a large-scale story with dance, without sacrificing either beauty or creativity. And I want to say something extra her about her lighting technique. She does THE best use of light I've ever seen from any dancer. Watching her turn shadows into stories of their own... it's brilliant. This is one of those count-on-one-hand shows of the 2012 Fringe, a genuine masterpiece.

Stunning.
by Chris Kirkham
Rating 5 stars
Intensely personal and intensely beautiful. I honestly didn't think anyone could move like that. This show will affect you one so many levels.

beauty
by Olivia Starkie
Rating 5 stars
A seriously beautiful show. The body is used here in a truly powerful way--to convey narrative action, physical sensation and emotion. The minimal use of props and the powerful/strong lighting choices only add to the impact of the show's story and visual pull. Mesmerizing, haunting, thought-provoking--modern dance at its most creative. See it to believe it!

Storied Dance
by Sergius OShaughnessey
Rating 5 stars
More than just prancing and happy fingers. Go and experience and be prepared to be dazzled!

Breathless
by Cheri Johnson
Rating 5 stars
If you're going to see anything at Fringe, see this ... Oh my god! Great storytelling & writing, gorgeous movement & timing, the shadows, the way she works with music ... and the way this sweet girl transforms herself into one of the creepiest things I've ever seen.

brilliant, transcendant
by David Trudeau
Rating 5 stars
Tamara Ober gives tribute to her step-Father in this intense piece that seems to start so slowly but then reaches an intensity rarely seen on stage. Multimedia effects enhance this gripping dance story that digs to the bowels of life. Leaves one transported to another place of great peace after a transforming journey that confronts and defeats the demonic. Music, lighting, sound used artfully to create it all. I needed to leave the theater and take a quiet walk afterwards.

On the edge of my seat
by Kirsten Stephens
Rating 5 stars
Phe-nom-en-al. I was physically leaning forward through most of the show. Because it's just that good.

Real art at the Fringe
by Derek ""Duck"" Washington
Rating 5 stars
This show was so impactful I'm having a hard time putting it into words. Tamara's work is awe inspiring, haunting, and it touched me profoundly. Tamara's movement blends with the multimedia in an absolutely breathtaking way. The show has such a stongly presented and moving emotional core that I had difficulty finding my composure before attending my next show. Don't pass this one up!!! Congrats Tamara! This show is absolutely beautiful!!!

Good good for the world's soul
by Jeffrey Berger
Rating 5 stars
Sin Eater is riveting, gorgeous and compassionate. Go see it!

Sineater
by Kathy Bakkenist
Rating 5 stars
A masterpiece on all levels.

Ditto
by Nathan Schilz
Rating 5 stars
This is a beautiful display of artistry unlike anything else you will find at Fringe. More than a dance showcase, this is a story told through movement with creative use of multimedia to help Tamara's petite frame fill the stage. I didn't always know what was going on plot-wise, but I didn't much care. Hauntingly beautiful. Honest.

One of the best, solo performances
by Kay Kirscht
Rating 5 stars
For those of you who haven't seen more than the preview...this show isn't about what you think it's about.
Memorable images, so heavy -it would translate into a fine graphic novel. The first minute of Tamara's character; twisting, torquing, recoiling from the world- bears viewing again and again. The movement, repeated near the end of the show, is beautifully composed, controlled and striking - Sineater's crowning visual.
One song used here speaks to the generation before, deeply...far more than a top 10 hit.
Sparse text, delivered with the steely eye of a daughter who straps her world to her back; launches on a fierce jungle journey of duty and love.

terrific
by Vicki Joan Keck
Rating 4 stars
I have heard about Tamara's work but this is the first I've seen of her performance. I dragged a friend of mine who was not sure he wanted to see a dance performance, so I thought "this better be good"! Tamara did not disappoint and both my friend and I are now fans. good plot line, gorgeous dancing and imagery. My only complaints were that I had a hard time hearing her (in the back row of a practically full house) and there was a little too much strobe - I started feeling dizzy after a while. Her comments at the end, after her performance, explaining why/how she came up with the concept was very meaningful as well. THANK YOU Tamara!

I am not the better for watching it
by Christopher Garza
Rating 5 stars
I'm not sure I've ever seen a human body be this transformative and captivating. Beautiful work.

Clearly Superior
by Roger Rosvold
Rating 5 stars
Supreme movement arising from well planned choreography, a true narrative movement piece which astounds and intrigues. Worth seeing twice.

A stunning snd moving piece of art
by Florence Brammer
Rating 5 stars
Ober has created something of stunning beauty and lasting merit here that is very, very special. Ober's choreography, her performance (both as a dancer and an actress), the lighting, the music, the use of props and staging -- every detail is meticulously designed and executed to serve the artistic vision for this dramatic and satisfying work. Not to be missed.

A Rare Artist and a Must-See
by Matt Peiken
Rating 5 stars
There's no other artist in the Twin Cities quite like Tamara Ober.

She's a rich storyteller who wraps her narrative in metaphorical movement, evocative imagery and engrossing abstraction. Here, she's embarks on an transformational journey that we, the audience, only learn the autobiographical roots of in Tamara's postscript. But only moments in, and we're already surrendering ourselves to wherever Tamara's taking us.

She pours herself, literally, into her performance and calls on every muscle—even her pliable and sinewy back, bathed in red light—to convey spirit and message. This work—far more developed than most Fringe shows—is a grand, risk-taking leap for one of the Twin Cities' exciting emerging artists.

Captivating
by Rob Gelberg
Rating 5 stars
I have never seen a one-person show half as captivating or nearly as moving. Beautiful movement, stunning poignancy, and fascinating use of technology and music. I really have nothing but good things to say about this show. If it's not on your schedule, your schedule is wrong.