Carcass, Copenhagen KSelekt
VENUE: Det Kgl. Teater, Copenhagen - Skuespilhuset, Small Stage
Dare we face the inevitable? That we have to leave this place - like all our loved ones? A poignant, brutal and fragile performance wrestles with the end of life. In front of a massive mirror six performers and their bodies find a life-affirming answer to what cannot be put into words.
The performance is presented as part of KSelekt. KSelekt is a collaboration between Det Kgl. Teater and the Statens Kunstfond to strengthen development across structure, genres and for mutual inspiration in the Danish performing arts milieu.
The performance is also presented in Aarhus on December 4th – 6th, 2023. Tickets can be bought here.
Dare we face the inevitable? That sooner or later we have to this place- like all our loved ones? With “Carcass” HIMHERANDIT Productions deals with the end of life in a gripping, brutal and fragile performance, which also has space for quirky humor. In front of a massive mirror six performers and their bodies find a life-affirming answer to what cannot be put into words.
“Carcass” is not about what might await us after death. Or about faith or religion. In our Western culture, we tend to hold death at arm’s length. “Carcass” wants to shed light on how we accept that some day it must end. On how we let go of our fears and remember to live life while we are here. Despite this gloomy and deeply moving subject, HIMHERANDIT Productions manages to create an experience full of life.
The massive mirror wall – in certain cultures a portal to the other side – fills up most of the stage where the six performers catapult their bodies into this wrestling match with the end of life. With the cold, clinical examination. The violent and primal struggle. The absurd humour. The warm-blooded roar with the spark of life. The fragile last breath. The tear in the corner of the eye may not come from sorrow, but from release.
The four-time Reumert-nominated Aarhus company HIMHERANDIT Productions’ latest performance draws on the best from several of the company’s many acclaimed performances: The high-energy dance performance “Mass Effect” (and the performers in it), the intimate performance “My Undying Love” and the wild, humorous “The WOMANhouse”. But the result is a completely new and unique performance from one of the country’s most exciting theater companies, which has also garnered recognition around Europe.
Please note: The performance is a physical performance, but contains elements of English speech. It also contains nudity.
Reviews
”I sit with a pounding heart in the audience rows and let myself be absorbed by a different and brave dance drama. (…) The performance ‘Carcass’ is a poetic gem of small subtle moments that connect to the last breath.”
– Kulturnyt (læs anmeldelsen)
”I was spellbound from start to finish. (…) Life and death belong together, and this very realization the dancers embody in a fascinating way in a poetic, humorous and absurd dance with death.”
– Delfinen, Aarhus Universitet (læs anmeldelsen)
”They dance our fear of death and remind us to live life while we have it. They break with death and master the art of throwing limp bodies and 100 ways to move them. They also speak directly to the audience and have a hilarious competition for the best death. The atmosphere becomes so good that you come to care for it – death.”
– Lokalavisen Aarhus
About HIMHERANDIT Productions
HIMHERANDIT Productions was founded in 2003 by British-born artist Andreas Constantinou and has been based in Aarhus since 2009. In 2012, the company established a collaboration with Bora Bora, who co-produces the innovative and bold performances that range from modern dance, physical theater to “live art” performances. HIMHERANDIT Productions is a house company at Bora Bora.
HIMHERANDIT Productions is a well-reputed company that both the press, the audience and theaters nationally and internationally keep an eye on. With a reputation for being “The cutting edge queer performance company in Aarhus”, they have attracted the attention of several European theaters and festivals that have shown their performances around the world. In both 2015 and 2016, the company’s performances were chosen by the European network of dance theatres, Aerowaves, to be among the 20 most exciting new performances in Europe.
The company aims to create space for the marginalized, despised, diverse and queer, bringing important topics such as gender, sexuality and identity into dialogue. They do this both through performances, art installations, workshops, educational programs, research laboratories and artist lectures to promote social change through art.
The company has been behind performances such as “My Undying Love”, “Champions”, “Mass Effect”, “WOMAN & WoMAN”, “GARDEN”, ”The WOMANhouse”, “ReDoing GENDER” and “The MANhouse” as well as a number of others. Not least, HIMHERANDIT Productions also organized The GENDERhouse Festival in Aarhus in 2018. The company has been nominated for four Reumert awards, most recently for “My Undying Love” in 2022, while the festival and Andreas Constantinou received the Aarhus Performing Arts Award ‘Applause of the Year’ in 2018.
Visit www.himherandit.com for more information, videos and tour schedule of upcoming performances.
Credits
Choreographer & artistic director:
Andreas Constantinou
Performers/dancers:
Aris Papdopoulos, Theo Marion, Elise Ludinard, Paola Drera, Heli Pippingskold, William Cardoso
Light design:
Christoffer Brekne
Sound design & scenography:
Jeppe Cohrt
Dramaturg:
Siri Knutsen
Producer:
Art&About – Sigrid Aakvik & Signe Sandvej
Co-produced in cooperation with
Bora Bora – Dance & Visual Theater
Supported by:
The Danish Arts Foundation and Aarhus City
Supported by
