Theatre

Wolfskers

Triptych of Power II

Guy Cassiers, Toneelhuis

Cassiers got his inspiration for the second part Wolfskers in three film scenarios from the Russian movie director Aleksandr Sokurov about Lenin, Hitler and Hirohito.

In his movies Sokurov shows the three rulers in their passivity and their lethargy rather than in their moments of power and decision-making. Sokurov is less interested in the detailed historical context of his leading characters. Hence he focuses on ‘lost’ moments in their life. Creating a certain atmosphere is an important item within his movie aesthetics. Sokurov says he is interested in man and what happens to him when he gains power: “These people in powerful positions have turned their life into theatre. Led by a certain myth they have shaped their life, staged it, adjusted it and made it subject to rituals and ceremonies.” Whilst for Kurt Köpler in Mefisto for ever the theatre is his reality, the three rulers in the Sokurovs movies have turned the reality into their theatre. Sokurov shows the ruler as a perverted artist, but at the time when the façade is crumbling away.

In Wolfskers Guy Cassiers (in cooperation with the author Jeroen Olyslaegers) cuts these three movie scenarios up amongst each other and follows the three leading characters during a day in their life. In the production of Cassiers the three leading characters are static. It is their ‘household’ that is continuously on the move. The roles of the three households are played by one and the same group of actors: they constitute the dynamic element of the performance. Wolfskers shows how power attacks the rulers as well as their surroundings like an insidious poison.

TRIPTYCH OF POWER

After his impressive Proust cycle, a poignant and subdued theatrical meditation about memory and lost time, Guy Cassiers focuses on the complex connection between art, politics and power in a new trilogy, the Triptych of Power. The first part Mefisto for ever, based on the novel Mephisto by Klaus Mann, was first performed in the autumn of 2006. Cassiers got his inspiration for the second part Wolfskers in three film scenarios from the Russian movie director Aleksandr Sokurov about Lenin, Hitler and Hirohito. The third part Atropa. Avenging peace reaches back to the Greek tragedies and more specifically those featuring the Trojan War. Although the three parts can be viewed as separate performances, also in this case the whole is more than just the sum of its parts. Just like in the case of the Proust cycle the trilogy offers the possibility of deepening and broadening the theme. As the trilogy builds up, more and more echoes are sounding along. Mefisto for ever narrates the story of (diabolical) seduction by power. Wolfskers is the story of poisoning by power (Wolfskers is the name of a poisonous plant). And finally Atropa. Avenging peace tells the story of the agony of power (as well as a family of poisonous plants, Atropa is the name of one of the Greek Fates who cuts the thread of life).

director

  • Guy Cassiers

adaptation

  • Guy Cassiers
  • Erwin Jans
  • Jeroen Olyslaegers

after

  • Yury Arabov / Aleksandr Sokurov

Script advice

  • Tom Lanoye

performance

  • Michael Vergauwen
  • Jos Verbist
  • Johan Leysen
  • Veerle Eyckermans
  • Gilda De Bal
  • Suzanne Grotenhuis
  • Dries Vanhegen
  • Marc Van Eeghem
  • Vic De Wachter

design

  • Enrico Bagnoli
  • Diederik De Cock
  • Arjen Klerkx

video

  • Peter Missotten
  • Ief Spincemaille

music

  • Dominique Pauwels

costume design

  • Tim Van Steenbergen

thanks to

  • Christelijke Mutualiteit / Thuiszorgwinkel (Antwerpen)

production

  • Toneelhuis

All data

There are no upcoming activities for this event.

  1. Thursday 11 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  2. Friday 12 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  3. Saturday 13 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  4. Wednesday 17 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  5. Thursday 18 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  6. Friday 19 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  7. Saturday 20 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  8. Tuesday 23 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  9. Wednesday 24 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  10. Thursday 25 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  11. Friday 26 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  12. Saturday 27 October 2007 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  13. Tuesday 6 November 2007 — 20h00 — CC Brugge/Stadsschouwburg, Brugge
  14. Tuesday 13 November 2007 — 20h00 — SPOT Groningen, Groningen
  15. Friday 16 November 2007 — 20h00 — HNT/Koninklijke Schouwburg, Den Haag
  16. Wednesday 21 November 2007 — 20h00 — VIERNULVIER/Theaterzaal, Gent
  17. Thursday 22 November 2007 — 20h00 — VIERNULVIER/Theaterzaal, Gent
  18. Friday 23 November 2007 — 20h00 — VIERNULVIER/Theaterzaal, Gent
  19. Saturday 24 November 2007 — 20h00 — VIERNULVIER/Theaterzaal, Gent
  20. Wednesday 28 November 2007 — 20h00 — Grote zaal ITA, Amsterdam
  21. Thursday 29 November 2007 — 20h00 — Grote zaal ITA, Amsterdam
  22. Saturday 1 December 2007 — 20h00 — Theater Rotterdam, Rotterdam
  23. Wednesday 5 December 2007 — 20h00 — 30CC/Schouwburg, Leuven
  24. Friday 7 December 2007 — 20h00 — Kaaitheater, Brussel
  25. Saturday 8 December 2007 — 20h00 — Kaaitheater, Brussel
  26. Wednesday 12 December 2007 — 20h00 — CC Kortrijk, Kortrijk
  27. Friday 14 December 2007 — 20h00 — CCHA, Hasselt
  28. Saturday 5 July 2008 — Festival d'Avignon - Opéra Théâtre d'Avignon, Avignon
  29. Sunday 6 July 2008 — Festival d'Avignon - Opéra Théâtre d'Avignon, Avignon
  30. Monday 7 July 2008 — Festival d'Avignon - Opéra Théâtre d'Avignon, Avignon
  31. Tuesday 8 July 2008 — Festival d'Avignon - Opéra Théâtre d'Avignon, Avignon
  32. Friday 5 September 2008 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  33. Friday 12 September 2008 — 21h00 — Theaterstudio deSingel, Antwerpen
  34. Tuesday 30 September 2008 — 21h00 — Théâtre de la Ville, Parijs
  35. Wednesday 1 October 2008 — Théâtre de la Ville, Parijs
  36. Thursday 2 October 2008 — Théâtre de la Ville, Parijs
  37. Friday 3 October 2008 — Théâtre de la Ville, Parijs
  38. Saturday 4 October 2008 — Théâtre de la Ville, Parijs
  39. Thursday 23 October 2008 — Kaaitheater, Brussel
  40. Tuesday 18 November 2008 — Le Cargo - MC2, Grenoble
  41. Wednesday 19 November 2008 — Le Cargo - MC2, Grenoble
  42. Thursday 8 January 2009 — Maison de la Culture, Amiens
  43. Friday 16 January 2009 — Linz 2009, Linz
  44. Thursday 29 January 2009 — Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Luxemburg

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