In partnership with the Norwegian Embassy this company will be coming to South Africa to present The Border, a theatre performance piece that recently premiered in Norway to great reviews.
In The Border, we meet a man and a woman of different nationalities, sharing a workplace in a Consulate far north. Mutual respect is a virtue, but, beneath the surface, a territorial war is taking place. Perhaps even more is at stake, like the discovery of emotional addiction. To each other, to the game itself, or a vicious mix of both as is often the case between the sexes. With a bit of imagination, yet another level of understanding is possible. Could this troublesome coexistence resemble a classic border dispute between two nations?
Through text and movement, theatre and dance, humour and sensuality, a story unfolds with surprising twists and turns. The initial symptoms of a classical drama slowly shift into a far more surreal frame of reference. Motivations become blurry, props get new functions, consequences are no longer predictable. The show aims to reject clever playwriting and rather explore the dynamics of irrational human behaviour. After all, in the midst of conflicts with the opposite sex we tend to be very un-clever indeed.
Jo Strømgren Kompani was founded in 1998 and has grown to become one of the best known independent groups in Scandinavia. The company presents 100 - 200 shows in 10-20 countries annually and has so far produced 21 stage performances, one feature film and a short movie. The style is characterised by a dancing actors and a peculiar mix of dance and theatre, with puppet theatre, film, and live music often added. They are also known for their use of nonsensical language. Jo Strømgren also has a successful career as a freelance choreographer, theatre director, and playwright. The Border is a collaboration between Jo Strømgren Kompani and one of the northernmost institutional theatres in the world - Hålogaland Teater in Tromsø. Even though the full panoramic view to the border dispute hotspot of the Arctic region adds a specific relevance, the theme is universal to the core. Border conflicts exist everywhere.
To reserve your FREE tickets please call the Lindi at 011 492 2033 (Johannesburg) and Claudette Wagner 031 2603133 (Durban).
Jo Strømgren Kompani is supported by The Norwegian Art Council. South African Tour 2011 is financed by the Norwegian Embassy in South Africa. A part of a collaboration with PAHN (DTS) that aims to create long-term artistic collaborations between South Africa and Norway.
Contact:
Dance Forum
The Dance Space
1 President Street
between Miriam Makeba and Henry Nxumalo Streets
Newtown, Johannesburg
P O Box 91331, Auckland Park 2006
tel +27 11 492 0709/ 2033
Fax +27 11 492 2030