Production Details / Press Releases
People gaze at the sea, onto this dynamic space between the continents – a space as fictional as it is real. “Facing the sea, for tears to turn into laughter” is the story of a Tunisian man who is also a Frenchman: choreographer Radhouane El Meddeb, who has lived in France since 1998. His multi-faceted identity is the starting point for an artistic journey to his country of origin. It is different now, in the wake of the revolution. El Meddeb meets politically engaged artists who are helping to generate the idea of a new Tunisia. What begins to emerge is a poetic dialogue with Tunisian history, told through the medium of dance.
Radhouane El Meddeb trained as an actor at the Higher Institute of Dramatic Art of Tunis and worked at the Théâtre National de Toulouse under the direction of Jacques Rosner. Since then he has lived in France. He broke into a new artistic field in 2005 with his autobiographical dance solo “Pour en finir avec MOI”, and since then, has been working as a dancer and choreographer for organisations such as the Festival Montpellier Danse, the Centre National de la Danse in Pantin and the Babel Theatre in Beirut. Since 2011 he has been a member of the art centre CENTQUATRE in Paris. lacompagniedesoi.com
[Source: play bill]
TFB Nr. 1087
Cast & Credits
Concept & Choreography: Radhouane El Meddeb
Artistic Collaboration: Moustapha Ziane, Sondos Belhassem, Houcem Bouakroucha, Hichem Chebli, Youssef Chouibi, Feteh Khiari, Majd Mastoura, Malek Sebai, Malek Zouaidi and Mohamed Ali Chebil (vocals), Selim Arjoun (piano)
Set Design: Annie Tolleter
Music: Jihed Khmiri
Lighting Design: Xavier Lazarini
Costume Design: Kenza Ben Ghachem
Sound: Christophe Zurfluh
Production: Michel Chialvo
Management: Bruno Viguier, Gerco de Vroeg
Production: La Compagnie de SOI. Coproduction: Festival d’Avignon, Tandem Scène nationale Arras-Douai, Scène nationale d’Albi, La Villette – Paris, Cité musicale Arsenal de Metz, La Briqueterie Centre de développement chorégraphique du Val-de-Marne, Théâtre Jean Vilar de Vitry-sur-Seine
Supported by: Institut français de Tunis, Groupe Caisse des Dépôts, Region Ile-de-France, Institut français – Théatre Export, Conseil départemental du Val-de-Marne
Residencies: Ballet du Nord Centre chorégraphique national de Roubaix Nord Pas de Calais, Tandem Scène nationale Arras-Douai
La Compagnie de SOI is supported by DRAC Ile-de-France / Ministry of Culture and Communication.
In cooperation with RADIALSYSTEM V
Tanz im August 2017
Artistic Director: Virve Sutinen
Executive Producer: Isa Köhler
Producer & Assistant to Artistic Director: Marie Schmieder
Curator & Producer: Andrea Niederbuchner
Assistant Producer: Alina Sophie Lauer
Technical Director: Patrick Tucholski
Tanz im August is a festival by HAU Hebbel am Ufer, funded by the Capital Cultural Fund and the Senate Department for Culture and Europe.
Radialsystem
Video Documentation
The video documentation is produced on behalf of the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. The purpose of this contract is to document productions in the field of contemporary dance in Berlin. The master recordings are archived by the University Library of the Berlin University of Arts. Copies of the recordings on DVD are available for viewing exclusively in the reference collections of the following archives (at media desks in these institutions):
University Library of the Berlin University of Arts
Mediathek für Tanz und Theater des Internationalen Theaterinstituts / Mime Centrum Berlin
Inter-University Centre for Dance Berlin (HZT)