Oidipous, my foot
Paradise of options
The myth of Oedipus, who kills his father and marries his mother, is one of the most influential stories in Western culture. Oidipous, my foot is based on insights and principles completely different. Oedipus suffers from his wish to blame and restrain himself. This repressive habit of self-condemnation, says Jan Ritsema, fuels the general feeling of depression that dominates society today. This Oedipus takes his fate into his own hands and his potential destinies are countless.Together with fifteen performers Ritsema will present a theatrical show with stylistic references to the work of Ariane Mnouchkine, The Wooster Group, Bob Wilson, William Forsythe and The Nature Theater of Oklahoma.
• Jan Ritsma directed legendary Kaaitheater productions such as Wittgenstein Incorporated (1990) and Kopnaad (1995) and is the founder and inspirer of the PerformingArtsForum which is located in France. Together with fifteen performers he will present a theatrical show with stylistic references to the work of Ariane Mnouchkine, The Wooster Group, Bob Wilson, William Forsythe and The Nature Theater of Oklahoma. They change the theatrical space into an open area where theatre takes its fate into its own hands or, rather, loses all sense of having a fate. Oidipous, my foot is an exercise in ‘seeing life as a pleasant swim in this paradise of options’.
With Perrine Bailleux, Christine De Smedt, Marcus Doverud, Atlanta Eke, Luís Miguel Félix, Maria Hassabi, Krõõt Juurak, Emma Kim Hagdahl, Xavier Le Roy, Neto Machado, Berno Odo Polzer, Jan Ritsema, Mårten Spångberg, Tea Tupajić, a.o.
direction and concept Jan Ritsema | realized and performed by Perrine Bailleux, Christine De Smedt, Marcus Doverud, Atlanta Eke, Luís Miguel Félix, Maria Hassabi, Krõõt Juurak, Emma Kim Hagdahl, Xavier Le Roy, Neto Machado, Berno Odo Polzer, Jan Ritsema, Mårten Spångberg, Tea Tupajić | co-production Kaaitheater, Pact-Zollverein (Essen), Steirischer Herbst (Graz) | support ALLIANZ Kulturstiftung (München), Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EU) | Oidipous, my foot is part of The Agora Project, produced and administrated by vzw Avec Jan Jib Co (Brussels) and the Performing Arts Forum (St Erme) and subsidised by the ALLIANZ Kulturstiftung (München)
