Amor • Michèle Anne De Mey & Jaco Van Dormael / Astragales asbl • Théâtre National

After suffering thermal shock from temperatures of minus 30 degrees during a winter tour of Canada, the dancer and choreographer Michèle Anne De Mey suddenly fell into a coma, in Toronto airport, from which she did not immediately recover.

This “near-death experience”, as it is scientifically named, gave rise to a potent vision of light and warmth in her subconscious, producing an overwhelming feeling of love for her nearest and dearest. On the other side of the mirror—of life, of death?—Lewis Carroll is not that far away, nor are the existential and metaphysical questions asked by Alice in a land full of surprise and wonder. A mirror without silvering the same size as the set, possibly a veranda, forms the screen
which spawns dreamlike, fanciful scenes, via images of landscapes or the elements filmed by Julien Lambert and Giacinto Caponio, enhanced by music which conjures up the shores of darkness, in the same way as the queen’s “Lament” in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas .

It also suggests the insubstantial boundary that exists between the agony of dying and death itself, in a no-man’s-land chaotically inhabited by absurd and meaningless elements.

After the collaborative, hugely successful invention of a digital “nano-dance” with Kiss and Cry and Cold Blood , Jaco Van Dormael and Michèle Anne De Mey are defending their reputation with this experimental new style of writing for the stage.

Information

Language

Venue

Grande Salle

Duration

75'

Introduction 10.10.2017 - 19:45 - Foyers

Discussie after the show - 11.10.2017 - 30'

Cast

A show of
Michèle Anne De Mey & Jaco Van Dormael

Performance, solo
Michèle Anne De Mey

Direction

Jaco Van Dormael

Choreography

Michèle Anne De Mey

Assistant, dance rehearsal, levitation

Fatou Traoré

Scenography
Sylvie Olivé

Assisted by

Aurélie Borremans

Stage Design Intern
Kenia Raphaël

Light design

Nicolas Olivier

Video design

Giacinto Caponio

Sound design
Boris Cekevda

Costume Design
Nicole Moris

Technical Director, levitation partner & conception of objects in motion
Ralf Nonn

Light operator
Aurore Leduc

Video operator
Gwenael Laroche

Sound operator
Benjamin Dandoy

Stage Hand
Isabel Scheck

Video footage
Julien Lambert

Camera assistant
Adrien Legrand & Juliette Van Dormael

Appearing on stage
Luc De Mey & Jacqui Beckford

Technical Direction Astragales
Thomas Dobruszkès

Costume Design
Nicole Moris, Nathalie Willems et Pauline Aschoff (stagiaire)

Set design
Ateliers du Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

Réalisation patines
Valérie Perin

Conception of « new magic » levitation
Cie 14:20

With the participation of
Bernard Painchault, Marco Bataille-Testu et Robin Milly

Production manager
Astragales asbl / Hélène Dubois

Production assistant
Manon Faure

Public Relation Assistant
Caroline Dujardin

Production
Astragales asbl / création Studio Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles

In coproduction with
Le Théâtre de Namur, Mars Mons arts de la scène, Canadian Stage (Toronto), La Coop asbl
La Coop asbl & Shelter Prod, with the support of taxshelter.be & ING & tax shelter du gouvernement fédéral de Belgique.

In partnership with
Charleroi Danses Centre chorégraphique de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, le KVS

With the support of
Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and tax-shelter du gouvernement fédéral belge

Calendar

Information

Language

Venue

Duration

Cast