Gorges Ocloo (b. 1988) is an artist who feels at home in many roles and genres: (music) theatre, modern dance, performance, community arts, visual art, scenography, compositions for theatre, dance and opera.... Right after his studies at the Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema and Sound (RITCS) in Brussels, he made a name for himself with Scarlet-Anansi-Ocloo, an adaptation of Heiner Müller's Medea, combined with testimonies about the genocide in Rwanda. Since then he has collaborated on an impressive list of productions in many capacities, is artist-in-residence at LOD Muziektheater and one of the artistic directors of Beeldsmederij DE MAAN. As of 2022, Gorges is also part of the collective artistic direction of Toneelhuis, a context in which he is challenging himself to develop his artistic practice for the large stage further.
His shows are colourful extravaganzas of images, movement and music, fables with a strong political undertone. Voodoo, his father's culture, is the ultimate synthesis of play, performance and acting for Gorges. In May 2022, he received the Cultuurprijs Ultima, the Flemish cultural award for emerging talent. "The fearlessness with which Ocloo takes on different disciplines and roles is immensely refreshing. A visit to a show of his never leaves you untouched," the jury wrote.
Those interested in becoming acquainted with Gorges' work for the large stage this season can still go to see The Butcher (2021) and Moby Dick, at last Queequeg speaks (2020), two of his collaborations with Josse De Pauw at LOD Music Theatre.
Gorges Ocloo's latest production together with toneelhuis and LOD is The Golden Stool, or the story of Nana Yaa Asantewaa, which will premiere at Toneelhuis (Bourla) in Antwerp in April 2023.
