Ahead of Out of Balanz’s Posthumous Works, which comes to the Wardrobe Theatre next week, director Troels Hagen Findsen shares a few thoughts about performer Ivan Hansen, the show and its place in the modern world.
It’s such a crazy, challenging time right now. Unemployment continues to rise, confidence in governments is low, people feel threatened and, fear and suspicion towards the “other” just seems to be growing. Also here in Denmark, nations are closing in. I think we should be doing just the opposite of that, we should be reaching out to connect with one another, collaborating and creating opportunities with, and for, one another. And I believe that we can achieve this through the creation of strong partnerships and the sharing of resources and risk. I’m inspired to see that venues like Tobacco Factory Theatres and The Wardrobe are reaching out, that there are people working to create opportunities for artists and audiences from across various borders to connect during his time of fear and crisis. I’m really looking forward to performing in Bristol and to meeting the people that come to spend some time with us.
Posthumous Works is the first show we’ve created with Ivan Hansen. Ivan Hansen is a Danish performance artist that works in the field of authentic fiction. His work often investigates themes of loss and connection. The first time Ivan performed Posthumous Works we were all nervous. We were at a physical theatre festival, and the show is semi–autobiographical and told quite simply, and we weren’t sure how people would react. Not to mention the fact that you never know with sense of humour and language how things will translate or work from country to country. But actually, I think the direct, simple and personal nature of the show, combined with the universal nature of the themes of loss and connection that the piece explores, is exactly what people have responded to. And people really seem to connect and relate to Ivan. I also think there is something very Danish about Posthumous Works, I mean, Ivan is Danish and the stories are based on his life and people also seem to enjoy that too- that there’s something very universal, but also uniquely Danish, about the piece.
Posthumous Works runs from Tue 11 – Fri 14 April at the Wardrobe Theatre as part of Tobacco Factory Theatres BEYOND. For more information and to book visit the main show page.
Posted on 07 April 2017
