Reperformance as Critical Practice

Abstract David Byrne and Spike Lee adapted and transformed Hugo Ball’s seminal poem “Gadji beri bimba” in their cooperation on American Utopia (2020). Following the history and aesthetics of the performance of Ball’s 1916 sound poem, the article brings to light a constellation of different artistic perspectives from the historical avant-gardes to their present-day reception that critically engage with one another. It aims to analyze and compare the original poem with its performance at the Cabaret Voltaire, Byrne’s recording of “I Zimbra” in 1979, and Lee’s critical cinematic take on Byrne’s Broadway restaging of “Gadji beri bimba.”