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Wed / 19.08 / 20:00
Thu / 20.08 / 19:00

Duration: 60`
Ticket: 10/14 EUR kuni 10.08, 12/18 EUR alates 11.08 -> Buy
Video

SAAL Biennal 2015:
BENJAMIN VERDONCK, PIETER AMPE / CAMPO, Toneelhuis, KVS /Antwerp-Ghent/

WE DON´T SPEAK TO BE UNDERSTOOD
NB! Kanuti Gildi SAALis (Pikk 20)



Benjamin Verdonck and Pieter Ampe are tackling Vivaldi’s "The Four Seasons". The seasons pass by on stage, but their course is not always as it should be. What impact do these constantly changing circumstances have on the two men? Can they stand firm amidst these changes, or do they remain the plaything of the increasing chaos? Verdonck and Ampe are both stagehand and object of suffering, singer and dancer, in this visual performance. "WE DON’T SPEAK TO BE UNDERSTOOD" is a disorganizing concertante of "The Four Seasons", ending in a miraculous, endless epilogue that leaves the public helpless and perplexed.

Among other things, the dancer and choreographer Pieter Ampe and artist and theatre-maker Benjamin Verdonck share a raw physical style and a love of slapstick. Their encounters go way back. Benjamin Verdonck assisted Pieter Ampe with "O Feather of Lead", the project with which he graduated at P.A.R.T.S., in 2008. And Pieter Ampe helped Benjamin Verdonck with the dance sequences in "Song#2", the performance he made with Abke Haring in 2012.

These encounters boosted the wish to actually work together on a performance. Given these two artists’ different artistic backgrounds, "WE DON'T SPEAK TO BE UNDERSTOOD" could result in a clash of artistic disciplines, but nothing is certain…

 

For Pieter Ampe it is the third time to perform at Kanuti Gildi SAAL. Most recently he entertained us with his production "a coming community" at August DanceFestival in 2012. Benjamin Verdonck won the hearts of Estonian spectators with his minimalistic work "NOTALLWHOWANDERARELOST" at previous Baltoscandal festival.


if you have your head in the oven and your feet in the freezer
your average temperature may be unchanged but you are still pretty uncomfortable
(Clive Hamilton - Requiem for a species)


I am arguing that the Theatre of the Absurd is not about absurdity,
but about making life meaningful given our absurd situation.
(Michael Bennett - Reassessing the Theatre of the Absurd)

 

Benjamin Verdonck (1972) is an actor, writer, visual artist and theatre-maker. His theatrical work is staged either in a regular auditorium or in the public space as in "Bara/ke" 2000 (a tree-house in the heart of the city); "Hirondelle /Dooi Vogeltje / The Great Swallow" (a bird’s nest against a building 32 metres above the ground) and "BOOT" (BOAT, built on a block of flats in Szczecin in Poland in July 2012).

In 2009 Verdonck launched "KALENDER" (CALENDAR), an action cycle in which the public space in Antwerp was the centre of his artistic practice for a whole year. That action cycle was given a sequel in an exhibition entitled "KALENDER" | WIT at the MuHKA and in a play entitled "KALENDER" / ZWART. In 2011 Verdonck presented "HANDVEST VOOR EEN ACTIEVE MEDEWERKING VAN DE PODIUMKUNSTEN AAN EEN TRANSITIE NAAR RECHTVAARDIGE DUURZAAMHEID".

That same year Benjamin Verdonck also created a new work for the stag DISISIT, "a show that is fascinating from beginning to end, which (…) was invented like child’s play. Excessive in the extreme. And highly recommended." (Stijn Dierckx in De Morgen). In the 2012-2013 season he collaborated with Abke Haring on "Song#2", “a gem of ritual experience theatre. One we should cherish.” (Tuur Devens in Theaterkrant.nl).

Verdonck’s visual work increasingly finds its way into exhibitions in ("among other places") Berlin ("1/2"), Kortrijk ("Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits"), Ghent ("in TRACK and in the series of projects Brainbox in the experimental arts centre CROXHAPOX"), Hasselt ("in Mind the system, find the gap") and Antwerp ("oowendeseentsjkommaartsjinigin").

Under the title "EVEN I MUST UNDERSTAND IT", over the next two years Benjamin Verdonck will put together a cluster of new, autonomous works – theatre projects and actions in the public space – , each in their own way imaginative propositions about how art can relate to our reality and how it can help shape reality rather than just reflect on it.

Benjamin Verdonck has the support of the KVS and Toneelhuis in the period 2013-2016.

Pieter Ampe
(°1982, Burundi) grew up in Ghent where from 1990 to 2001 he took part in several theatre workshops at the Speeltheater, now known as the Kopergietery. In 2002-2003 he studied at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance and the following year he took a theatrical dance course at the Arnhem Dance Academy. From 2004 to 2008 he completed both P.A.R.T.S. cycles in Brussels. During this training he created the solo performance "On Stage" (2006) and "Still Difficult Duet" (2007) together with Guilherme Garrido. With Simon Mayer he presented the duet "O feather of lead" (2008).

In 2006, along with 64 dancers and choreographers, Pieter took part in danceWEB, a scholarship program that takes place each year in Vienna as part of the ImpulsTanz-festival. Out of this emerged the artists’ network Sweet&Tender Collaborations, towards which Pieter still contributes. For the twentieth birthday of Vooruit Arts Centre in Ghent, Pieter created "Kiezen is Verliezen" (2003-2004). He also appeared as a dancer in "Cirque Danton" by the stage director Jan Decorte. He collaborated with the performance duo United Sorry (Frans Poelstra & Robert Steijn), with the artist Roland Seidel and with choreographer Anne Juren. He was also one of the dancers in "The Song" by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker & Rosas.

Since 2009 Pieter Ampe is artist in residence at CAMPO. Apart from creating new work, he also takes the time for research and collaboration with other artists. In CAMPO he created, together with Guilherme Garrido, the duet "Still Standing You" (2010), the successor of their piece "Still Difficult Duet". "Still Standing You" was selected for Circuit X of the Belgian Theaterfestival 2012. In November 2011, Pieter Ampe had the première of Jake and Pete’s Big Reconciliation Attempt "For The Disputes From The Past", which he created together with his brother Jakob Ampe and mentor Alain Platel. This piece, as well as "Still Standing You", is still touring all around the world. In May 2012, Pieter Ampe presented a coming community during the Kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels, another CAMPO-production that he made with Gui Garrido, Hermann Heisig and Nuno Lucas.

Besides his own artistic work Pieter also contributes to the works of others as a dance & movement adviser. Earlier collaborations involved the theatre collective het KIP and Toneelhuis actors Benjamin Verdonck and Abke Haring. In 2013, Pieter Ampe was involved with Robert Steijn & United Sorry for "The Forest Project", and touring. In November 2014, his first solo, So you can feel premiered. In 2015, Pieter will create a new duet together with actor and performer Benjamin Verdonck: "We don’t speak to be understood" will premiere in 2015.

 

www.campo.nu

www.toneelhuis.be

www.kvs.be

 


 

Authors and performers: Benjamin Verdonck, Pieter Ampe, Iwan Van Vlierberghe, Korneel Coessens
Production: Toneelhuis, KVS, CAMPO
Executive producer: CAMPO
Co-production: BIT-tea

Premiere:23.04.2015 CAMPO, Ghent


In English.

 

NB! Artist talk on August 19 after the performance at Kanuti Gildi SAAL. Led by Annemari Parmakson (in English).

 

PREMIERE AND FIRST PRESENTATIONS
23, 24 & 25 April GENT, CAMPO
28, 29, 30 April & 1, 2 May BRUSSELS, KVS
6, 7, 8, 9 (15h & 20h), 10 May ANTWERP, Toneelhuis
27 & 27 May UTRECHT, SPRING Performing Arts Festival
6, 7, 8 & 9 June VIENNA, Wiener Festwochen
14 & 15 August 'S HERTOGENBOSCH, Theaterfestival Boulevard
19 and 20th August TALLINN, SAAL Biennale

 

 

 

 


Tickets for SAAL Biennaal 2015:

Single tickets bought in advance until 10th of August for 10/14 EUR, from 11th of August 12/18 EUR.

NB! Tickets bought in advance until 10th of August for “Partita 2” by ANNE TERESA DE KEERSMAEKER, BORIS CHARMATZ, AMANDINE BEYER are 11/14/20 EUR depending on the seat, and full price 14/18/25 EUR from 11th of August; tickets can be purchased from ticket centres Piletilevi or Piletimaailm and at Estonian National Opera's box office (open every day 11:00-19:00 except from June 21st till July 26th).
-concession -50% for pupils, students and pensioners
-for groups every 21st ticket free if purchased at the Opera's box office (phone 683 1210) or online at estonia@opera.ee
-only one concession at a time!

Tickets for the staged tour by KRISTINA NORMAN, CHUNGIN, DORIS FELDMANN & KRISTINA-MARIA HEINSALU, performance “House Music” by FLO KASEARU & RIINA MAIDRE and the movie installation “Bergman in Uganda” by MARKUS ÖHRN are 5 EUR.

Limited amount of 4 show passes are available for 30/42 EUR only if purchased on or before August the 10th (entry to 4 shows excluding “Partita 2” and the 5 EUR shows).

Single tickets and 4 show passes are available at Piletilevi ticket centres (a service charge 0.60€ per ticket will be added) and at Piletilevi online shop. Tickets can be purchased on site in cash half an hour before the start of the show, provided there are seats available.
- Discounted tickets on site for pupils, students and pensioners upon presenting ID.
- Latecomers will not be let in.
- The shows are not suitable for children, unless otherwise stated.
- The organizer has the right to make changes in the program.

 



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