Since the first previews of White White Black Stork on March 14, Seattle's had nothing but plaudits and bon mots for the Ilkhom Theatre of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. (Read the praise: The Seattle Times, the P-I, The Stranger, the Weekly, Seattlest.) White White Black Stork closed April 6, but Ilkhom is presenting a second show with a one-week run starting tomorrow, Ecstasy with the Pomegranate.

Like their previous show, Ecstasy is an exploration of sexuality in a closed culture. The show is based on a traditional Uzbek dance form called Bacha, which was once a cross-dressing dance performed only by men, but which was adopted by women during the Soviet era when the Communists enforced at least a modicum of gender equality and suppressed conservative Islam.

Ecstasy with the Pomegranate also explores the life of Usto Mumin, a Russian (born Alexander Nikolaev) who moved to Uzbekistan in 1920, fell in love with the culture and coverted to Islam. A Modernist who studied under Malevich, Mumin documented with vivid passion early-20th century Uzbek culture. (See here for info and images courtesy of Ilkhom.)

The Ilkhom Theatre does amazing work, and Ecstasy with the Pomegranate is definitely not a performance to miss, particularly if you didn't see White White Black Stork. Tickets are still available.

"Ecstasy with the Pomegranate" @ ACT Theatre // 700 Union Street // tix $40-$55 // April 9-13