Musical movement theatre by Alain Platel

A dancer enters the stage, undresses and starts his exercises; others follow gradually. Are they rehearsing or is this a performance? Are the oddball artists or disabled people? Oddly improvised appears to be the play which, suddenly, melts into a surge of dance. Different nationalities try to find a common rhythm. A proverbal fireworks erupts; one punches, one mocks the other. Later, the rehearsing, dancing, singing, loving, laughing – the living, carries on.

Word can only weakly describe the fascination which Alain Platel created with his play. The young Fleming succeeds in directing current themes scenically so relaxing, that one intimately feels the milieu from which they were taken and which in return is then discharged into the audience.

The live performed music of »La tristeza cómplice« merges in the most perfect way with the scenic. Dick Van der Harst edited compositions of the English composer Henry Purcell (1659-95) in an extremely original manner, arrangements for ten accordion players and one female vocalist.

Les Ballets C. de la B. (Les Ballets Contemporains de la Belgique = Contemporary Ballet of Belgium) was established by Alain Platel in 1986 in Ghent, whereby the name of the company must be perceived facetiously since it has absolutely nothing in common with conventional ballet. Platel also creates elocution theatre productions and was invited with all of his productions to perform in numerous European countries.

One distinctively recognises Platel’s concern for the fringe groups, for society’s socially underprivileged fellow-citizens. The most important element of his productions is humanity. Despite melancholy and pessimism, it still allows the hope for a mutual and peaceful co-operation and understanding.