Martin Zimmermann and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui – HAS BEEN

Description

HAS BEEN is the first collaboration between the world-renowned Zurich choreographer and performer Martin Zimmermann (Swiss Grand Prix Performing Arts 2021 / Hans-Reinhard-Ring 2021) and the internationally sought-after choreographer and dancer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (collaborations with Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna, and many more). In this creation, the two explore the societal facets of transience in a humorous and empathetic way and reflect on their own artistic mortality. Both artists have significantly influenced the contemporary circus, dance, and theater world for over 25 years. In their first collaboration, they trace stages of decay and have fun dismantling the myth of the “Has Been.”

On stage, time slowly takes its toll on bodies and scenery, making facades brittle and shaking even the most cherished self-image. Desperately, the characters resist. They polish surfaces and patch cracks, seized by tragicomic frenzy. Yet, they cannot escape the inevitable any more than the questions that increasingly arise: How to deal with aging? How to remain relevant? And what happens when the final curtain falls?

Accompanied by composer Alexandre Dai Castaing and musicians and performers Kaspy N'dia and Kazutomi “Tsuki” Kozuki, Zimmermann and Cherkaoui create a universe where Swiss Dadaism merges with Belgian Surrealism. Here, the laws of nature are turned upside down, and the language of movement becomes bizarre. An absolute gem of stage art! Don’t miss.

STATEMENTS

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui about Martin Zimmermann:
"Working with Martin is enormously entertaining and deeply inspiring. His fearless approach to the tragicomic generates an unvarnished honesty that fits well with our joint exploration of movements and emotions. My own work is rooted in the physical and gestural. Combined with Martin’s tragicomic characters and his vivid stage designs, a dynamic synergy emerges. Together, we create a place where humor and vulnerability meet, where boundaries shift, and an authentic connection grows. It is an honor for me to blend our worlds and see how something deeply human arises from our two signatures."

Martin Zimmermann about Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui:
"I have followed Larbi’s career from the beginning. We started developing our own productions at the same time and very young. I marveled at his eclectic work between theater and dance, the choreographic signature he developed, and his soaring flights. Larbi has always ventured into uncomfortable zones to draw creativity from them. In this approach to art, I recognize myself. We carry many commonalities deep inside us that make me feel incredibly comfortable and understood in my work with him. However, our signatures are completely different. That makes the upcoming collaboration all the more exciting: I am very much looking forward to this promising friction and artistic exchange."

Concept, choreography, direction: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Martin Zimmermann
Created with and performed by: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Martin Zimmermann, Alexandre Dai Castaing, Kaspy N’dia, Kazutomi 'Tsuki' Kozuki
Stage design: Martin Zimmermann
Music composition: Alexandre Dai Castaing
Artistic and choreographic collaboration: Romain Guion
Costumes: Susanne Boner
Dramaturgy: Sabine Geistlich
Lighting design: Mark Van Denesse
Sound design: Andy Neresheimer
Technical conception: Ingo Groher, Christiane Voth
Stage construction: Ingo Groher, Ateliers Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne
Stage motorization: Thierry Kaltenrieder
Object development, construction: Noé Wetter
Visual collaboration: Simeon Meier
Theater painter: Michèle Rebetez-Martin
Accessories: Atelier CLSFX Paris, Eric Rihs
Lighting: Jan Olieslagers
Sound: Franck Bourgoin, Andy Neresheimer
Stage manager: Ueli Kappeler, Jérôme Bueche

Highlights

• World premiere of the first collaboration between Martin Zimmermann and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
• Themes of transience, aging, and artistic mortality
• Accompanied by live music and performance
• Performance at Millers, Zurich

General Information

The piece HAS BEEN is a mix of circus, performance, and poetry that explores societal facets of transience. The production combines contemporary dance with elements of theater and takes place at Millers in Zurich.

Location

Seefeldstrasse 225, 8008 Zürich, Schweiz

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