A very impressive – I must confess – one-man performance" "The sophistication of the actor, the images and the sound are connected and create an integrated result which is the performance itself, the myth and the story they are based on." "We also had the opportunity to meet director Karolina Spaic, who has such a big perspective in spirit, and to hear her ideas on the new perspective of theatre, on the open horizons of art, as well as about the creators who dare perform such extraordinary feats, without fear, without rules, searching deeper within the many corners of the human soul." (Kreta magazine 04-04-2004)

Foto's: Tom Dombrowski (made during 360 theaterfestival Germany)

home The “I” and “I” To which the shadow of the day compels us is replaced by the “I and nothing” Jan Fabre VINCENT & IK. This multimedia solo performance by director Karolina Spaic and actor Sebo Bakker is based on the text of Angel of Death by Jan Fabre and inspired by the man Vincent van Gogh and his work. In a combination of acting, video and soundscapes the Angel of Death takes a candid look at today’s reality and Van Gogh’s place in it. In his observations the Angel is swept away by his desires, secret fantasies, disillusion and the hope for recognition. In fact, this performance examines the artist’s position in today’s art climate. Has this position changed since the days of Van Gogh? The Angel performs a one-man show. He sings like a rock star I’M BACK FROM THE DEATH. He is quiet, he is in love, he is hopeless. This is how the Angel lures his audience into the fascinating and colourful world of a misunderstood artist, a clown, a madman, a genius. Sebo Bakker, who has a lot of theatrical performances to his name, portrays this remarkable creature in his own distinct acting style, which is whimsical and personal, alternating between physical challenge and silence. At certain points his well-known clownish performance of a “loser” emerges, which often wrong-foots the audience with its touch of melancholy humour and selfmockery. The stage setting for this performance is an installation by visual artist René de Rooze. The Angel’s costumes are designed by Takami Sato, who adds a Japanese flavour to modern clothing. Here again is a link with Van Gogh, who was also very inspired by Japan, as evidenced by his Japanese drawings. Video images by film and video maker David Haneke are projected onto the actor’s body like tattoos. These images constantly interact with the performer; at times they follow his movements, at other moments they provoke him into action. Haneke has been involved with the performance from the very beginning, convinced as he is that "projections on stage can only work when the visual material (or the visual story) and the aesthetics of the projections ‘breathe along’ with what is happening on stage. This is usually achieved only when the video projections are created alongside the rehearsal process; when the projections are not just complements or decorations but fundamentally interact with the proceedings on stage". The images exude the same mood as Van Gogh’s paintings and colour combinations, and are in turn influenced by Bora Pavicevic’s soundscapes, which create a digital, three-dimensional space. These are not just sounds accompanying the performance; rather, they play a part opposite the actor. All these elements together result in a multimedia event where performance, images and sound join in a harmonious story. The text Angel of Death, has never before been presented in the Netherlands. The adaptation of the text into “spoken word poetry”, the physical style and the use of various media underline that we are dealing here with a transposition of Van Gogh’s world to the present. Vincent & ik has the potential of reaching a wide audience. It is from this perspective that ZID Theatre sees it as a challenge to perform this piece not just for adults, but for youngsters from the age of 15 and older as well. Vincent & ik is made by: Karolina Spaic (director) Sebo Bakker (actor) David Haneke (videography) Bora Pavicevic (soundscape) René de Rooze (installation) Takami Sato (costumes) Eliane Roest (production) Odin Heyligen (light) Pablo Piaggio (DJ) This performance is subsidized by the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts , VSB Foundation, Prins Bernhard Cultural Foundation and the K.F. Hein Foundation. home top