FRICTION
Together with her performers, Sophia Rodriguez explores the action of friction as a strategy to rid ourselves of psychological and cultural baggage that limits us from connecting to each other. Friction becomes a deliberate act of rubbing projections, beliefs and identities against each other as if they were pieces of dry dead wood.
If we persist in rubbing irreconcilable differences against each other, it will create tremendous heat in our minds and bodies. Our armour will burn off and moisture will reappear in our way of thinking. These vitalising moisture areas of unknown visions and desires destroy our comfort zone and free us from the narratives by which we pin ourselves down.
FRICTION plays with switching between different realms of connection. Treasure the deep, the superficial, the artificial, the natural, the sentimental, the intellectual, the intimate, the opinionated. Nothing is avoided to create friction.
• Sophia Rodriguez is an actress, dancer and choreographer. She studied circus, dance and theatre in Venezuela, Cuba and Switzerland. Her work is strongly influenced by her workshops and exchanges with David Zambrano and uses physical performance, voice and improvisation as building blocks for energetic and feminist performances.
concept Sophia Rodriguez│text Sophia Rodriguez, Anna Franziska Jäger, Vincent Focquet, Simon Van Schuylenbergh, Robert Steijn, Martina Calvo ⎸ performers and makers Anna Franziska Jäger, Vincent Focquet, Simon Van Schuylenbergh, Robert Steijn, Martina Calvo, Sophia Rodriguez ⎸ dramaturgy Robert Steijn ⎸ outside eye Meg Stuart ⎸ costume design and props Sofie Durnez ⎸ scenography Sofie Durnez, Sophia Rodriguez ⎸ animation & drawings Martina Calvo ⎸ music Gašper Piano ⎸ voices Kalé Rodriguez Goldberg, Simone Rodriguez Goldberg, Audra Runnels, Azul Belmar, Violeta Belmar ⎸ sound design Korneel Moreaux ⎸ light design Jan Maertens ⎸ production KWP Kunstenwerkplaats ⎸ coproduction Toneelhuis, Kunstencentrum BUDA, VIERNULVIER ⎸ with the support of De Grote Post, Kaaitheater & NEXT Festival ⎸ with the financial support of The Flemish Community, The Flemish Community Commission and Tax shelter ⎸ thanks to Micha Goldberg, Mary Gloria Pacheco, Benjamin Vandewalle, Marie Umuhoza, Jozef Wouters, Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe, Julia Reist, Eevi Kinnunen, Helena Araujo, Rosie Sommers, Lazará Rosell Albear, Horacio Macuacua, Oneka von Schrader, Thomas Proksch and Tim Coenen
This performance contains loud noises and music, and smoke.
Content warning:
The performance contains nudity and depictions of/stories about sexual violence.
