After the success of Billy's Violence, the desire to continue this intense tale was so strong amongst the artistic team, cast and crew that it has led to a sequel: Billy’s Joy. Once again, Victor Lauwers turns his hand to reworking Shakespeare’s plays and see what they can still mean in our time - a time of great controversies, vulgar polemics, cancel culture, structural racism, climate change, war. What is there left to laugh at? Is humour the coward's weapon or a form of activism?

For Billy's Violence, Victor Afung Lauwers researched the ten tragedies of Shakespeare and rewrote them into violently loving, intimate dialogues in which the woman is the central focus, stripped of any historical reference or anecdotal content.

Songs of Disconnection is a next step in Seghers’ research into the potentially tragic relationship between entertainer and spectator. This resides in the irresistible urge to share and connect and the essential impossibility of doing so.

Performing arts About Needcompany

During EXPLO #3, Needcompany will be presenting two evenings with performances by Nana Bilus Abaffy, Noluthando Mpho Sibisi, Sung Im Her and Aya Suzuki, put together by Grace Ellen Barkey. An experimental programme in which artists from all over the globe will be bringing their idiosyncratic performances to life for the first time.

Haunted by the night and inspired both by her ancestors and the Javanese theatre of shadows wayang, Grace Ellen Barkey, who was born in Surabaya, Indonesia, enters into a dialogue with the obscure and searches for forms of re-imagination in her installative performance MALAM / NIGHT.

News
27 November 2023
ACTION for GAZA - TEARS from HEBRON

Needcompany is launching a campaign to support Theatre Day Productions, a project in northern Gaza. As a small gesture, some glass objects - made by a glassblower from Hebron to serve as a scenic element in All the Good, a performance by Needcompany - will be offered for sale.

More information about the campaign can be reached by clicking on this post.

15 September 2023
MILL'S BEAUTY REALITY SALON 2023

After two successful editions, MILL'S BEAUTY REALITY SALON returns in 2023. MBRS is a fellowship developed by and within Needcompany. It was born out of a desire to continue the multidisciplinary artistic quest that Needcompany started 30 years ago. With this € 10 000 initiative, we want to give artists the opportunity to think and create in a timeless and non-result-oriented way. Our goal is to establish new, sustainable connections.

For MILL'S REALITY SALON we are inviting artists who have never before worked with Needcompany. The call has been launched and is open to all nationalities and ages with an extra focus on artists with a link to Brussels. Deadline = 25 October!

27 June 2023
Worldpremiere Billy's Joy

On 11 July, Billy's Joy will finally premiere at ImPulsTanz in Vienna. After months of preparation and rehearsal, it is time to present the 'liquid comedy', the HYSTORY, to the public.

Victor Lauwers once again commits to reworking Shakespeare's texts to see what they can still mean in our time - a time of great controversies, vulgar polemics, cancel culture, structural racism, climate change, war. What is there left to laugh at? Is humour the coward's weapon or a form of activism?

23 December 2021
Music of Billy's Violence available online

In July 2021, Billy's Violence, a radical adaptation of the tragedies of Shakespeare by Victor Afung Lauwers, directed by Jan Lauwers, premiered at Festival Grec in Barcelona. Maarten Seghers composed the original music which gives the performance extra layers, resonance and intensity.

From now on, the music is available on all major streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer etc) and digital shops. A physical release on vinyl was already released in July. The limited, carefully crafted release is available via Needcompany's Bandcamp. Those who would like to buy the digital release can also visit our Bandcamp.

Tour dates

December 2023
01 DecBilly's JoyNTGent (Ghent BE)
January 2024
11 JanMalam / NightFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil (Santiago de Chile CL) Premiere
11 JanMalam / NightFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil (Santiago de Chile CL) Premiere
12 JanMalam / NightFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil (Santiago de Chile CL) Premiere
12 JanMalam / NightFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil (Santiago de Chile CL) Premiere
13 JanMalam / NightFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil (Santiago de Chile CL) Premiere
13 JanMalam / NightFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil (Santiago de Chile CL) Premiere
20 JanBilly's ViolenceCC De Spil (Roeselare BE)
23 JanBilly's JoyLe Quartz (Brest FR)
24 JanBilly's JoyLe Quartz (Brest FR)
Tour dates

December 2023
01 DecBilly's Joy
 Ghent BE  NTGent
January 2024
11 JanMalam / Night
 Santiago de Chile CL  Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil Premiere
11 JanMalam / Night
 Santiago de Chile CL  Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil Premiere
12 JanMalam / Night
 Santiago de Chile CL  Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil Premiere
12 JanMalam / Night
 Santiago de Chile CL  Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil Premiere
13 JanMalam / Night
 Santiago de Chile CL  Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil Premiere
13 JanMalam / Night
 Santiago de Chile CL  Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil Premiere
20 JanBilly's Violence
 Roeselare BE  CC De Spil
23 JanBilly's Joy
 Brest FR  Le Quartz
24 JanBilly's Joy
 Brest FR  Le Quartz
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