Isabella's room
© Eveline Vanassche

Directed and written by Jan Lauwers

Except The Liar’s Monologue, written by Anneke Bonnema

With Viviane De Muynck, Anneke Bonnema, Hans Petter Dahl, Yonier Camilo Mejia (replaces Julien Faure), Benoît Gob, Misha Downey/Ludde Hagberg, Sung-Im Her (replaces Tijen Lawton), Yumiko Funaya/Sarah Lutz (replaces Louise Peterhoff), Maarten Seghers, Elke Janssens, Jan Lauwers

Music Hans Petter Dahl, Maarten Seghers

Costumes Lemm&Barkey

Coproducers Festival d’Avignon, Théâtre de la Ville ( Paris), Théâtre Garonne (Toulouse), La Rose des Vents (Scène Nationale de Villeneuve d'Ascq), Brooklyn Academy of Music (New York) and welt in basel theaterfestival. With the cooperation of Kaaitheater (Brussels) and the Flemish Community Commission of the Brussels Capital Region. With the support of the Flemish authorities.

Opening night
Cloître des Carmes, Festival d’Avignon
9 July 2004

+/- 2h

English/French, surtitled

Nine performers reveal together the secret of Isabella’s room with as central figure the monumental actress Viviane De Muynck.

Isabella’s room contains a secret. It is the location of a lie. It is the location of the lie that dominates Isabella’s existence. This lie is an image. An exotic image. The image of a desert prince. Isabella is the daughter of a desert prince who disappeared on an expedition. This is what her foster parents, Arthur and Anna, told her. They lived together in a lighthouse on an island, where Arthur was the lighthouse-keeper. Like an island, the lighthouse is a transitional area: somewhere between the sea and the land, between solid and fluid, between inside and outside. The lighthouse is built on the land, but it yearns for the sea. Isabella yearns for the desert, the desert prince, Africa.

This is how the life-story of the blind old Isabella begins. But it soon becomes clear that a terrible, unutterable truth lies hidden beneath the story of the desert prince. Anna and Arthur cannot live with their secrets and escape into drink. Anna dies and Arthur throws himself into the sea. Isabella’s quest for her father, the desert prince, does not lead her to Africa but to a room in Paris, filled with anthropological and ethnological objects.

Isabella tells the story of her life, but she does not tell it alone. All those who were important to her tell it with her; the many in her life who had died: Arthur and Anna, her lovers Alexander and Frank. And not only do they tell Isabella’s story together, they also sing it. This is not the first time in a piece by Jan Lauwers that live music is played and that the actors sing, but it has never happened in such an open and inviting way as here.
(Erwin Jans)

 

Awards

* The prize for the best foreign performance, category dance. (Syndicat professionnel de la critique de théâtre, de musique et de danse”, France, June 2005)

* Selected for the Theaterfestival 2005 (Brussels, Amsterdam)

* The prize for “le Masque de la production étrangère”. (Foreign performance - Académie québécoise du théâtre, December 2005, Canada)

> Read more

Directed and written by Jan Lauwers

Except The Liar’s Monologue, written by Anneke Bonnema

With Viviane De Muynck, Anneke Bonnema, Hans Petter Dahl, Yonier Camilo Mejia (replaces Julien Faure), Benoît Gob, Misha Downey/Ludde Hagberg, Sung-Im Her (replaces Tijen Lawton), Yumiko Funaya/Sarah Lutz (replaces Louise Peterhoff), Maarten Seghers, Elke Janssens, Jan Lauwers

Music Hans Petter Dahl, Maarten Seghers

Costumes Lemm&Barkey

Coproducers Festival d’Avignon, Théâtre de la Ville ( Paris), Théâtre Garonne (Toulouse), La Rose des Vents (Scène Nationale de Villeneuve d'Ascq), Brooklyn Academy of Music (New York) and welt in basel theaterfestival. With the cooperation of Kaaitheater (Brussels) and the Flemish Community Commission of the Brussels Capital Region. With the support of the Flemish authorities.

Opening night
Cloître des Carmes, Festival d’Avignon
9 July 2004

+/- 2h

English/French, surtitled

Tour dates

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July 2004
09 JulAvignon FRFestival d'Avignon Premiere
10 JulAvignon FRFestival d'Avignon
11 JulAvignon FRFestival d'Avignon
12 JulAvignon FRFestival d'Avignon
13 JulAvignon FRFestival d'Avignon
15 JulAvignon FRFestival d'Avignon
August 2004
13 AugBasel CHwelt in basel
14 AugBasel CHwelt in basel
15 AugBasel CHwelt in basel
September 2004
22 SepBrussels BEKaaitheater
23 SepBrussels BEKaaitheater
24 SepBrussels BEKaaitheater
25 SepBrussels BEKaaitheater
October 2004
20 OctToulouse FRThéâtre Garonne
21 OctToulouse FRThéâtre Garonne
22 OctToulouse FRThéâtre Garonne
23 OctToulouse FRThéâtre Garonne
November 2004
16 NovColumbus, Ohio USWexner Center for the Arts
17 NovColumbus, Ohio USWexner Center for the Arts
18 NovColumbus, Ohio USWexner Center for the Arts
19 NovColumbus, Ohio USWexner Center for the Arts
December 2004
14 DecNew York City USBrooklyn Academy of Music
16 DecNew York City USBrooklyn Academy of Music
17 DecNew York City USBrooklyn Academy of Music
18 DecNew York City USBrooklyn Academy of Music
January 2005
19 JanBruges BECC Brugge
21 JanGhent BEKunstencentrum Vooruit
22 JanGhent BEKunstencentrum Vooruit
25 JanMulhouse FRLa Filature
26 JanMulhouse FRLa Filature
February 2005
02 FebNice FRTNN - Théâtre National de Nice
03 FebNice FRTNN - Théâtre National de Nice
08 FebParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
09 FebParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
10 FebParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
11 FebParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
12 FebParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
15 FebRotterdam NLRotterdamse Schouwburg
19 FebTurin ITTorinodanza
23 FebBrussels BELes Halles de Schaerbeek asbl
24 FebBrussels BELes Halles de Schaerbeek asbl
25 FebBrussels BELes Halles de Schaerbeek asbl
26 FebBrussels BELes Halles de Schaerbeek asbl
March 2005
11 MarHamburg DEDeutsches Schauspielhaus
18 MarAntwerp BEdeSingel
19 MarAntwerp BEdeSingel
29 MarVilleneuve d'Ascq FRLa Rose des Vents
30 MarVilleneuve d'Ascq FRLa Rose des Vents
April 2005
01 AprVilleneuve d'Ascq FRLa Rose des Vents
12 AprEvry FRThéâtre de l'Agora
May 2005
25 MayQuebec CACarrefour international de théâtre
26 MayQuebec CACarrefour international de théâtre
27 MayQuebec CACarrefour international de théâtre
28 MayQuebec CACarrefour international de théâtre
31 MayMontreal CAFestival de Théâtre des Amériques
June 2005
01 JunMontreal CAFestival de Théâtre des Amériques
02 JunMontreal CAFestival de Théâtre des Amériques
03 JunMontreal CAFestival de Théâtre des Amériques
22 JunHamburg DEDeutsches Schauspielhaus
July 2005
06 JulMarseille FRFestival de Marseille
07 JulMarseille FRFestival de Marseille
27 JulVienna ATImPulsTanz
28 JulVienna ATImPulsTanz
August 2005
30 AugBrussels BEKaaitheater
31 AugBrussels BEKaaitheater
September 2005
08 SepAmsterdam NLStadsschouwburg Amsterdam
14 SepGrogingen NLStadsschouwburg Groningen
16 SepRotterdam NLRotterdamse Schouwburg
17 SepRotterdam NLRotterdamse Schouwburg
19 SepStockholm SEKulturhuset
22 SepStockholm SEKulturhuset
24 SepStockholm SEKulturhuset
October 2005
18 OctBarcelona ESTeatre Lliure / Grec festival
19 OctBarcelona ESTeatre Lliure / Grec festival
22 OctRouen FRFestival Automne en Normandie
23 OctRouen FRFestival Automne en Normandie
27 OctNamur BEThéâtre de Namur
28 OctNamur BEThéâtre de Namur
29 OctNamur BEThéâtre de Namur
November 2005
08 NovAnnemasse FRChâteau Rouge
10 NovChambéry FREspace Malraux
12 NovValence FRLa Comédie de Valence
18 NovSevilla ESTeatro Central Premiere
19 NovSevilla ESTeatro Central
21 NovMálaga ESTeatro Cánovas
22 NovMálaga ESTeatro Cánovas
24 NovGranada ESTeatro Alhambra
25 NovGranada ESTeatro Alhambra
December 2005
06 DecRennes FRThéâtre National de Bretagne
07 DecRennes FRThéâtre National de Bretagne
08 DecRennes FRThéâtre National de Bretagne
09 DecRennes FRThéâtre National de Bretagne
13 DecNantes FRLe Lieu Unique
14 DecNantes FRLe Lieu Unique
15 DecNantes FRLe Lieu Unique
16 DecNantes FRLe Lieu Unique
20 DecLeuven BEStadsschouwburg Leuven
January 2006
17 JanMartigues FRThéâtre des Salins
25 JanGrenoble FRMC2 - Maison de la Culture de Grenoble
26 JanGrenoble FRMC2 - Maison de la Culture de Grenoble
27 JanGrenoble FRMC2 - Maison de la Culture de Grenoble
28 JanGrenoble FRMC2 - Maison de la Culture de Grenoble
February 2006
01 FebLimoges FRThéâtre de l'Union
02 FebLimoges FRThéâtre de l'Union
22 FebCrawley UKPerth International Arts Festival
23 FebCrawley UKPerth International Arts Festival
24 FebCrawley UKPerth International Arts Festival
25 FebCrawley UKPerth International Arts Festival
27 FebCrawley UKPerth International Arts Festival
28 FebCrawley UKPerth International Arts Festival
April 2006
27 AprBudapest HUTrafo - House of Contemporary Arts
28 AprBudapest HUTrafo - House of Contemporary Arts
May 2006
03 MayParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
04 MayParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
05 MayParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
06 MayParis FRThéâtre de la Ville
10 MayMontigny-le-Bretonneux FRThéâtre de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
13 MayBrest FRLe Quartz
June 2006
02 JunLisbon PTalkantara
03 JunLisbon PTalkantara
17 JunZurich CHZurcher Festspiele
18 JunZurich CHZurcher Festspiele
25 JunVienna ATImPulsTanz
September 2006
21 SepLyon FRLes Festivaux Internationaux de Lyon et Rhône-Alpes
22 SepLyon FRLes Festivaux Internationaux de Lyon et Rhône-Alpes
23 SepLyon FRLes Festivaux Internationaux de Lyon et Rhône-Alpes
October 2006
04 OctSão Paulo BRSESC
05 OctSão Paulo BRSESC
07 OctRio de Janeiro BRRio Cena Contemporânea
08 OctRio de Janeiro BRRio Cena Contemporânea
November 2006
09 NovGlasgow UKTramway
10 NovGlasgow UKTramway
12 NovGlasgow UKTramway
21 NovHérouville-Saint-Clair FRCentre Dramatique Nationale de Normandie, Comédie de Caen
22 NovHérouville-Saint-Clair FRCentre Dramatique Nationale de Normandie, Comédie de Caen
December 2006
14 DecBerlin DEHEBBEL AM UFER - HAU 1
15 DecBerlin DEHEBBEL AM UFER - HAU 1
16 DecBerlin DEHEBBEL AM UFER - HAU 1
20 DecLorient FRCDDB Lorient
21 DecLorient FRCDDB Lorient
March 2007
30 MarSeoul KRLG Arts Center
31 MarSeoul KRLG Arts Center
April 2007
01 AprSeoul KRLG Arts Center
06 AprSaitama JPSaitama Arts Theatre
07 AprSaitama JPSaitama Arts Theatre
08 AprSaitama JPSaitama Arts Theatre
June 2007
08 JunAngers FRLe Quai - CDN
09 JunAngers FRLe Quai - CDN
15 JunAthens GRAthens and Epidaurus Festival
16 JunAthens GRAthens and Epidaurus Festival
17 JunAthens GRAthens and Epidaurus Festival
18 JunAthens GRAthens and Epidaurus Festival
August 2007
31 AugWeimar DEKunstfest Weimar GmbH
September 2007
02 SepHanover DETANZTheater INTERNATIONAL
November 2007
13 NovBucharest RORomanian National Theater Festival
14 NovBucharest RORomanian National Theater Festival
December 2007
06 DecReims FRLe Manège de Reims
07 DecReims FRLe Manège de Reims
March 2008
19 MarBogotá COFestival Iberoamericano de Teatro Bogotá
20 MarBogotá COFestival Iberoamericano de Teatro Bogotá
21 MarBogotá COFestival Iberoamericano de Teatro Bogotá
22 MarBogotá COFestival Iberoamericano de Teatro Bogotá
23 MarBogotá COFestival Iberoamericano de Teatro Bogotá
January 2009
04 JanSantiago de Chile CLFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil
05 JanSantiago de Chile CLFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil
06 JanSantiago de Chile CLFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil
07 JanSantiago de Chile CLFestival Internacional Santiago a Mil
February 2009
02 FebSaint-Médard-en-Jalles FRLe Carré des jalles
03 FebSaint-Médard-en-Jalles FRLe Carré des jalles
05 FebPoitiers FRThéâtre - Scène Nationale de Poitiers
06 FebPoitiers FRThéâtre - Scène Nationale de Poitiers
07 FebPoitiers FRThéâtre - Scène Nationale de Poitiers
13 FebAix-en-Provence FRGrand Théâtre de Provence
14 FebAix-en-Provence FRGrand Théâtre de Provence
27 FebGijón ESLABORAL ESCENA
28 FebGijón ESLABORAL ESCENA
March 2009
21 MarAalst BECC De Werf - Aalst
April 2009
21 AprKraków PLKrakowskie Reminiscencje teatraline
September 2009
20 SepZagreb HRZagreb Theatre Festival
21 SepZagreb HRZagreb Theatre Festival
23 SepVienna ATBurgtheater
24 SepVienna ATBurgtheater
October 2009
01 OctSète FRScène Nationale de Sète et du Bassin de Thau
02 OctSète FRScène Nationale de Sète et du Bassin de Thau
24 OctSarajevo BAInternational Theater Festival MESS
November 2009
02 NovMoscow RUStanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre
03 NovMoscow RUStanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre
11 NovMadrid ESFestival de Otoño en Primavera
12 NovMadrid ESFestival de Otoño en Primavera
13 NovMadrid ESFestival de Otoño en Primavera
14 NovMadrid ESFestival de Otoño en Primavera
March 2010
16 MarGrenoble FRMC2 - Maison de la Culture de Grenoble
May 2010
27 MayMetz FRMetz en Scènes
28 MayMetz FRMetz en Scènes
September 2010
15 SepBelgrade RSBITEF - Belgrade International Theatre Festival
16 SepBelgrade RSBITEF - Belgrade International Theatre Festival
20 SepBelgrade RSBITEF - Belgrade International Theatre Festival
28 SepVienna ATBurgtheater
29 SepVienna ATBurgtheater
30 SepVienna ATBurgtheater
November 2010
26 NovRéunion FREspace Culturel de Champ Fleuri
27 NovRéunion FREspace Culturel de Champ Fleuri
March 2011
30 MarCopenhagen DKREPUBLIQUE
May 2011
11 MayClermont-Ferrand FRLa Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand, scène nationale
June 2011
25 JunMontpellier FRLe Printemps des Comédiens
26 JunMontpellier FRLe Printemps des Comédiens
July 2011
06 JulMons BEMars
07 JulMons BEMars
October 2011
11 OctVenice ITFondazione La Biennale di Venezia
December 2011
13 DecBlois FRLa Halle aux Grains, scène nationale de Blois
14 DecBlois FRLa Halle aux Grains, scène nationale de Blois
January 2012
21 JanUdine ITCSS Teatro stabile di innovazione del FVG
27 JanDijon FRArt Danse CDC Dijon Bourgogne
February 2012
03 FebIbos FRLe Parvis scène nationale Tarbes Pyrénées
08 FebCherbourg-Octeville FRLe Trident, Scène nationale de Cherbourg-Octeville
09 FebCherbourg-Octeville FRLe Trident, Scène nationale de Cherbourg-Octeville
July 2012
17 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
18 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
19 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
20 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
21 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
24 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
25 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
26 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
27 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
28 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
31 JulParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
August 2012
01 AugParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
02 AugParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
03 AugParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
04 AugParis FRParis Quartier d'Eté
March 2013
19 MarMaastricht NLTheater aan het Vrijthof
September 2013
16 SepBeijing CNNational Center for the Performing Arts
17 SepBeijing CNNational Center for the Performing Arts
20 SepTianjin CNTianjin Grand Theatre
21 SepTianjin CNTianjin Grand Theatre
22 SepTianjin CNTianjin Grand Theatre
26 SepGuangzhou CNGuangzhou Drama Art Center
27 SepGuangzhou CNGuangzhou Drama Art Center
28 SepGuangzhou CNGuangzhou Drama Art Center
October 2013
11 OctTaipei TWWorld View Series
12 OctTaipei TWWorld View Series
13 OctTaipei TWWorld View Series
January 2014
27 JanAmiens FRMaison de la Culture d'Amiens
February 2014
13 FebChâlons-en-Champagne FRLa Comète
14 FebChâlons-en-Champagne FRLa Comète
March 2014
19 MarRiga LVThe New Theatre Institute of Latvia
20 MarRiga LVThe New Theatre Institute of Latvia
April 2014
29 AprEssen DEPACT Zollverein
30 AprEssen DEPACT Zollverein
May 2014
07 MayFreiburg DETANZ UND THEATER - Internationales Festival Freiburg
September 2015
19 SepBuenos Aires ARFestival International de Buenos Aires
20 SepBuenos Aires ARFestival International de Buenos Aires
November 2017
09 NovBrussels BEThéâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
10 NovBrussels BEThéâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
11 NovBrussels BEThéâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
July 2018
08 JulAlmada PTFestival de Almada
September 2018
19 SepNamur BEThéâtre de Namur
20 SepNamur BEThéâtre de Namur
21 SepNamur BEThéâtre de Namur
26 SepNantes FRLe Grand T
27 SepNantes FRLe Grand T
28 SepNantes FRLe Grand T
October 2018
06 OctSalt ESFestival Temporada Alta de Girona
March 2019
19 MarAlençon FRScène Nationale 61 d'Alençon-Flers
April 2019
12 AprBobigny FRMC93 - Maison de la culture de Bobigny
13 AprBobigny FRMC93 - Maison de la culture de Bobigny
May 2019
18 MayValladolid ESInternational Festival of Theatre and Street Arts
23 MayAarhus DKILT-Festival
24 MayAarhus DKILT-Festival
November 2019
13 NovVitoria-Gasteiz ESFestival Internacional de Teatro de Vitoria
September 2020
30 SepMulhouse FRLa Filature
October 2020
01 OctMulhouse FRLa Filature
February 2021
03 FebGrenoble FRMC2 - Maison de la Culture de Grenoble Postponed
04 FebGrenoble FRMC2 - Maison de la Culture de Grenoble Postponed
05 FebGrenoble FRMC2 - Maison de la Culture de Grenoble Postponed
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