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Language: English, Portuguese, Dutch | Surtitles: German & English
«There is no safe that can hold life» - Philosopher Ailton Krenak (Teiresias in «Antigone in the Amazon») on nature and neutrality
Milo Rau has once again achieved an extraordinary theatrical feat of gigantic proportions: With Antigone in the Amazon, the Swiss director has created a profoundly dramatic and captivating evening, effortlessly blending elements of a travelogue, didactic play and activist re-enactment. In collaboration with indigenous communities, landless activists and actors from NT Gent, he has developed a political rendition of Antigone for the 21st century.
For the first time in the history of theatre, an indigenous actress plays Antigone, the chorus of the tragedy consists of survivors of the Brazilian police’s largest massacre of landless people to date. Theiresias is performed by Brazilian indigenous activist and philosopher Ailton Krenak. The creation phase of Antigone in the Amazon is completed on the 27th anniversary of the massacre of 17 April 1996, at the place and the site of the crime: the federal highway BR-155 that is closed and occupied for this purpose. A re-enactment of the massacre is publicly performed as the peak of the creation and a metaphor of the infamous civil war that marks the beginning of the Antigone myth.
«Rau has perfected the art of bringing real events onstage, by laying bare the process and inviting audience members to think along.» (New York Times)
Duration: approx. 100 Minutes
Q&A after the performance on September 22th.
Programme Booklet
Biography
Milo Rau, born 1977 in Bern, director and author, has been Artistic Director of the IIPM - International Institute of Political Murder since 2007. From 2018-2023, Rau was also Artistic Director of NTGent (Belgium), and since July he has been Artistic Director of the Wiener Festwochen. Since 2002, he has published over 50 plays, films, books and actions. His new book Die Rückeroberung der Zukunft will be published by Rowohlt on 12 September. His theatre productions have been shown at major international festivals, including the Berlin Theatertreffen, the Festival d'Avignon, the Venice Biennale, the Wiener Festwochen and the Brussels Kunstenfestivaldesarts, and have toured worldwide. Rau's best-known works, many of which have been shown at Kaserne Basel, include The Last Days of the Ceausescus (2009), Hate Radio (2011), Breivik's Statement (2012), The Moscow Trials (2013) and Five Easy Pieces (2016). His Europe trilogy, consisting of The Civil Wars, The Dark Ages and Empire deals with the European history of war, flight and crimes against humanity. His film The New Gospel & The Revolt of Dignity was awarded the Swiss Film Prize for Best Documentary in 2021.
Credits
Cast
Frederic Araujo, Sara De Bosschere, Arne De Tremerie, Pablo Casella
On Screen
Kay Sara, Gracinha Donato, Célia Maracajà, Chor der Militanten des Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais sem Terra (MST), und als Teiresias, Ailton Krenak
Concept & Direction
Milo Rau
Text
Milo Rau & Ensemble
Dramaturgy
Giacomo Bisordi
Music Composition
Elia Rediger, Pablo Casella
Dramaturgical Collaboration
Douglas Estevam, Martha Kiss Perrone
Assistant Dramaturgy
Kaatje De Geest, Carmen Hornbostel
Collaboration to Concept, Research & Dramaturgy
Eva-Maria Bertschy
Set Costume
Anton Lukas
Costume Design
Gabriela Cherubini, An De Mol, Jo De Visscher
Light
Dennis Diels
Video
Moritz von Dungern
Video making of
Fernando Nogari
Video editing
Joris Vertenten
Direction Assistant
Katelijne Laevens
Internship Direction Assistant
Chara Kasaraki, Lotte Mellaerts
Production Management
Klaas Lievens, Gabriela Gonçalves
Assistant Production Manager
Jack Do Santos
Technical Production Management
Oliver Houttekiet
Stage Manager NT Gent
Marijn Vlaeminck
Technique NT Gent
Max Grymonprez, Sander Michiels, Raf Willems
Thanks to
Carolina Bufolin
Production
NTGent
Co-production
The International Institute of Political Murder (IIPM), Festival d'Avignon, Romaeuropa Festival, Manchester International Festival, La Villette Paris, Tandem - Scène nationale (Arras Douai), Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Equinoxe Scène Nationale (Châteauroux), Wiener Festwochen
In collaboration with
Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST)
With support of
Goethe Institut Saõ Paulo, PRO HELVETIA COINCIDENCIA - Kulturaustausch Schweiz - Südamerika, The Belgian Tax Shelter