Red Haired Men

Alexander Vantournhout’s work seeks physical extremes on the cutting edge of dance and circus. Among the light, humorous virtuosity he exhibits, there is often a dark side: a man’s tragic quest to transcend himself. Red Haired Men was inspired by the writings of Russian absurdist author Daniil Kharms. Suffering under the Soviet authorities, this anarchist spirit concealed his critique of the totalitarian regime in seemingly innocent children’s stories in which characters invariably disappear, and all logic is lost. In an ambiguous Gesamtkunstwerk, four performers interweave short text fragments from Kharms with dance and circus, contortionism, puppet theatre, magic, and ventriloquism. Using prostheses, they manipulate their bodies into bizarre and stunning new forms. Are they only doomed to failure?

Credits

concept & choreography Alexander Vantournhout | with Ruben Mardulier, Winston Reynolds, Axel Guerin & Alexander Vantournhout | dramaturgy Kristof Van Baarle | repetitor Anneleen Keppens | theater coaching Jan Steen | dramaturgical support Dries Douibi & Femke Gyselinck | outside eye Geert Belpaeme & Lili M. Ampre | advice magic & light Tim Oelbrandt | construction Willy Cauwelier | technicians Rinus Samyn / Bram Vandeghinste | production Not standing vzw | co-production la brèche-cherbourg (fr), cirque théâtre, elbeuf (fr) vooruit-gent (be), perplx, marke (be), subsistances, lyon (fr), le manège de reims (fr) | supported by stad Roeselare, Gili (Lieven Gheysen), Dirk Van Boxelaere | alexander vantournhout is huisartiest in Vooruit, Gent (be) voor de periode 2017-2021, en perplx, marke (be) van 2017-2019. van 2016-2018 is alexander cultureel ambassadeur van Roeselare | residencies platforme 2 pôles cirque en normandie/ la brêche à cherbourg-cirque-théâtre d’elbeuf, vooruit, gent (be), stuk-leuven (be), bateau feu, dunkerque (fr), theater op de markt, Neerpelt (be), subsistances, Lyon (fr), p.a.r.t.s, Brussels (be), circuscentrum, Gent (be), de warande, Turnhout (be), circa, auch (fr), le manège de reims (fr), de grote post, Oostende (be), Kaap, Brugge-Oostende (be), wood cube, Roeselare (be) |