Venue: 3:e Våningen
Time: 2 October: 13.00-13.50
Age: 13 +
Language: Swedish & German
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BARMHÄRTIGHETEN occupies the territory of fear.

We encounter a group of people involved in a power struggle where the fear of being in each other’s favour or disgrace governs.

Yet, what does that mean, that to be in favour or disgrace, is to live in fear? Favour debases–we either fear to lose it or we fear to win it. Hence, to be in favour or disgrace is to live in fear. These considerations force us to take the body seriously and admit that one can suffer. Yet, what does it mean to take the body seriously and to admit that one can suffer? Perhaps I suffer because I believe myself to be a body. Because if I weren’t a body, how could I suffer?

The materiality of the body is an ever-present aspect of our lives. It is a truth we cannot escape. In fact, its materiality conditions the only certainty we have–the ceasing of its matter through death. Yet our dogmatic belief that the body is ours is bizarre considering that we are unable to operate its functions by our supposed will. Our heart either beats or not, regardless of our desire for it to do so or not.

We, who operate within the language of the body, find that the materiality of the body is a constant site of conflict. Conflict, because of the oscillation between the self that claims to have power of the body and the body as an entity that operates on its own terms. The body’s materiality is what reveals the dogmatism of thought and questions the notion of the self. The stage provokes these questions simply because it demands a language that remains aware of its artificiality while simultaneously suggesting an ultimate sincerity. The question of conflict within the personal body also extends to national and political bodies. The demarcation of mine and yours is what fuels our current mortal conflicts in Russia, Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Iran, Sudan and beyond.

We ask, how can we can reflect and create work that questions our preconceived ideas of belonging amidst the fear of losing that which we deem ours?

CREDITS:
Created by Josephine Gray & Anmar Taha
Performed by Lena Dahlén, Jonny Berg, Sebastian Ruiz Bartilson & Anmar Taha

The impetus for the work of ibodies is based on the fundamental insight that theatre – as an arena in which performance takes place – demands a unique and radical language that is useless and in the disservice of any agenda other than its own primacy as a form of language. As such, the poetics of awareness is an absolute given in their continued search for a radical scenic language.

ibodies are based in Gothenburg, Sweden, led by Anmar Taha and Josephine Gray

Their work has been presented at venues and festivals across Europe, Maghreb, Mashriq and Asia since 2009.

WEBSITE: www.i-bodies.com
@ibodiestheatre