Macedonian - Austrailian Playwrite

In the Shade of the Pear Tree -
The Age, Arts Reviews - Arts - Entertainment:

"FRINGE FESTIVAL REVIEW 3 stars In the Shade of the Pear Tree is another piece with a Slavic connection.

It's a tribute to Amelia Christo's grandmother, a migrant from Macedonia, and is told with great warmth. Switching between herself and the role of her elderly relative, she relates the major events of her baba's life, from being threatened by armed soldiers as a girl, to having a nervous breakdown from her adult cares in her new country.

The narrative is interspersed with footage of her grandmother talking about her past, spliced neatly into the story. The intimate venue, the simple set with its domestic motif, and Christo's undeniable stage presence combine to create a gently entertaining generational tale."

In The Shade of the Pear Tree: 3.9.2007

SBS chats with Amelia Christo about her performance in 'In The Shade of the Pear Tree', which opens on 28Sept,07 as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival this year. The piece centres around Amelia's grandmother Tsila, who has braved conscription, refugeehood and migration. Amelia attempts to bridge the gap and hold on to the fading story that defines her grandmother and herself.