2018, leap into the faith, curator: NEEDCOMPANY: Grace Ellen Barkey / Jan Lauwers / Maarten Seghers
We've been thinking about the theme which could be an attempt to capture extreme tensions within which we lead our life in Europe - our political, social and cultural life, but also a sort of inner, spiritual existence. The two states we can observe - on one hand different incarnations of religious extremism, on the other - boredom, lack of important points of reference, being devoid of spirit - are blending into each other, going hand in hand in media, art, public life and shaping our minds. This bitter diagnosis says something important also about the role of art - as a possible source from which we can derive a new inspiration, tools to handle with the world, but also as a goal, a realm of new humanism, which might replace old spiritual structures.
The 28th edition of Malta Festival Poznań will be constructed around the Idiom – “Leap of faith”, which revolves around the universal notions of the search for meaning in the world’s chaos. It takes on the subject of the spiritual needs of modern Europeans, particularly in the context of growing religious and ethnic conflicts.
The ninth Malta Idiom will be curated by Jan Lauwers, Grace Ellen Barkey and Maartenen Seghers from the legendary Belgian group Needcompany, which will come back to Poznan not only with a new play War and Turpentine (premiere: December 2017), but also to present projects implemented by other members of the group (Grace Ellen Barkey, Maarthen Sehgers, Maison Dahl Bonnema), as well as the youngest generation of artists - the rising star of Belgian theatre – Kuiperskaai.
Needcompany is a unique phenomenon in European theatre. This Belgian group founded in 1986 by Jan Lauwers and Grace Ellen Barkey draws in international, multilingual and interdisciplinary circles of artists. The members and collaborators of Needcompany develop their individual dance, music and theatre projects. This way the team functions like an organically growing structure. Their everyday creative work involves openness to experimentation and searching for new languages of expression. Needcompany performed in Poznań twice – in 2010 with their legendary trilogy Sad Face / Happy Face, which was a part of the “Flamands” Idiom, and in 2013 with their plays Market place and Mush-room. They are adored by the Polish audience.