2000 Ft (Trafó bérlet érvényes)
THE THEME The human body is the starting point in this performance. The body is the the tool in contemporary circus. It is the prerequisite and the natural carrier of storytelling, emotions and it has the ability to touch an audience irrespective of age, language, social and cultural background. Through the possibilities of our bodies, combined with the nature of circus diciplines, we challenge ourselves and our audience in our search for the difficult questions. We dived into the body armed with a thousands of questions: What makes me dare what I actually don’t dare? Is the really me in the DNA? Where in the body are our thoughts visible? What is physical intelligence? Who is really the stem cell? The world’s greatest magician?
The more we learned anc the more we understood, our humbleness for the inexhaustible magic of the body just keept on growing.
The thematics of the performance 99% unknown is thus built on the little man’s search for the heart of the universe, and it aims to mirror the universe that is within all of us.
In the early stages of the production, we felt a strong need to enhance our understanding of the body and its relation to the surrounding world. Pictures taken inside the body by the swedish photographer Lennart Nilsson ignited our imagination. When the body is attacked by a virus, it builds its defences as country preparing for war. A picture of the foetus in the matrix has assemblies to pictures of the universe. When we compare what happens within and around us, similarities are astonishing, and it needs to be shared with the audience.
THE PERFORMANCE In the performance, we will follow 9 artists with different characters and abilities who explore the outermost limits of the body and mind. The audience will through the performance learn to sense the characters and their different approaches to attack life changing questions. The acrobats deliver raw and powerful energy when they challenge the laws of physics. The jugglers offer mathematical aesthetics in describing the relativities of the world. We will also meet the experienced and old comedians reflecting on the questions with heartbreaking honesty. It is all brought together with the ironic humor and poetic sensualism that Cirkus Cirkör stands for.
THE SPACE The shape and colours of the body, together with influences of 60s design such as the Danish designer Verner Panton will inspire the costumes and the set. With video projections, props, costumes and circus equipment, the experice of the audience will be a space of continous change. The stage will vary both emotionally and visually, while this co-operation and flexibility will tighten the atmosphere of the performance.
THE SOUND Also, the sound will play an essential role building the bridge between the performance and the space. We have been listening to the sound of endorfines rushing through our mind; the sound of adrenaline when we feel fear. With the tones inspired from the sounds of our bodies, each movement of the circus artists will be followed by the music giving life and energy to the performance. The music will give strength and confidence to the artists while persistently searching for the universe within.
KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET – A MEDICAL UNIVERSITY The research behind the performance has been done in partnership with Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. Karolinska Institutet is one of Europe's largest medical universities. It is also Sweden´s largest centre for medical training and research, accounting for 30 per cent of the medical training and 40 per cent of the medical academic research that is conducted nationwide
The purpose for Karolinska to co-operate is of vital importance. The medical science is evolving rapidly, changing its understanding of the body and consequently its ability to practice medicine, also from a pedagocial perspective as ethical and moral. Modern medicine has become chemical and abstract, and is in seach for new ways of communicating to make both ordinary people, patients and medical students to comprehend the complexities of our bodies. In the meeting between science and arts, new ideas has been born on how to present advanced scientific knowledge and more importantly, how to make people relate to these advancements. Together, science and arts can change the world, but only together.
THE ARTISTIC GROUP The performance is directed by Tilde Björfors, the founder and artictic director of Cirkus Cirkör. Kajsa Giertz, who recently left her position as artistic director of Byteaterns Danceensemble in Kalmar, Sweden will do the choreography. Together with Peter Lundquist (set design), Savannah Agger (composer), Lehna Edwall (costume) and Ulf “Poly” Nylin (circus constructions) they will be the core creative group designing the performance.
The artist group will be 3 musicians and 9 artists, with Mattias Andersson (pair acrobatics and juggeling), Katja Kortström (pair and ariel acrobatics), Samuel Gustavsson (juggling), Ola Granli (acrobat), Fredrik Dejfen (acrobat), Henna Kaikkula (kautchuc), Anders Jens (ariel acrobat and thightwire), Geneviève Gauthier (aerial hoop) and Antione Carabinier (acrobatics and tee trea).
FACTS 99% UNKNOWN Title: 99% UNKNOWN Artistic director and director: Tilde Björfors Choreographer and assisting director: Kajsa Giertz Set design: Peter Lundquist Music: Savannah Agger Circus construction: Ulf “Poly” Nylin Producer: Åsa Lassfolk Cast: 9 artists and 3 musicians Length of performance: 90 min (no intermission)
Premiere: 17th September 2004
