He took it to the next step
Baroque music fused with African rhythms, dancing, acting and fashion.
These are just some of the experiences you’ll get from watching the show called
Coup Fatal. When you are
watching the performance you might at one point find yourself in confusion and
asking yourself: “What exactly am I watching here?” “Is this a music concert,
dance performance or classical recital?” The answer is that this performance
cannot be placed into a sole category. A
whole new universe is created within the performance and the watcher only needs
to sit back and enjoy what is seen, heard and felt.
Coup Fatal was created by the Belgian
choreographer Alain Platel and is performed by 13 men from Congo. Their musical
talent, dance moves and energy gives you goose bumps and makes your feet dance
their own beat under your seat in the theatre. These guys are performers to the
bone.
The choreographer Alain Platel clearly wants to show the audience a good
time through the Congolese music, dance and culture, which he succeeds very
well in. You might think at the
beginning that the piece is all about the pleasing beats of the drums, shaking
and grinding of the hips (more than you would think ever possible!) or their
strong facial expressions coupled with their theatrical gestures. As the piece
evolves, you realize that a story unfolds. In the second half of the piece, the
13 men come out wearing outfits that are inspired by the Sapeurs (also known as
La Sape). Sapeurs is a social community with a lot of different influences;
however, it is traced back to the early colonialism of the Africans, when the
French came to civilize them. They handed them European second hand clothes as
a bargaining tool to gain the devotion of the nations leaders. Later, the community
began to rebel against some of the vile aspects of their Congolese life.
Bright green suits, layer upon layer, fancy sunglasses and mismatched
colourful socks. One by one the 13 Congolese men walk through the stage curtains.
This is an ironic image, since the curtains are made from discarded bullet
casings that remain from Congo’s civil wars.
“Young, gifted and black” they sing “Oh what a lovely precious dream” a song
originally written by Nina Simone.
The piece has many layers and can be interpreted in several different
ways. As Alain Platel points out in an interview:
“The goal is to allow for multiple interpretations, not to
limit ourselves to a political discourse about Congo. I’m more interested in
association of ideas, in poetry.”
This piece definitely provides food for thought and makes you think
about African culture. The mixture of opera, African rhythms and dance is very
interesting and Alain Platel definitely opens a large window of new possibilities
in how to construct a performance. It is highly probable that you will walk out
of the theatre with a bursting desire to move.The title is well chosen as the performance sure did hit me hard!
Where: Musis Stadstheater,
Arnhem
When: 1st of
October 2015
Premiere of the piece: 10th
of June 2015
Concept and idea Serge
Kakudji and Paul Kersten
Artistic direction: Alain Platel
Composer: Rodriguez Vangama
Musicians:
Serge Kakudji (counter tenor) Rodriguez Vangama (electric
guitar), Costa Pinto (acoustic guitar), Bouton Kalanda (likembe), Erick Ngoya
(likembe), Silva Makengo (likembe), Tister Ikomo (xylophone), Deb’s Bukaka
(balaphone), Cédrick Buya (percussion), Jean-Marie Matoko (percussion), 36 Seke
(percussion), Russell Tshiebua (backing vocals), Bule Mpanya (backing vocals)
Set design: Freddy Tsimba (Congolese sculptor and installation artist)
http://www.lejournalinternational.fr/La-Sape-an-elegance-that-brought-peace-in-the-midst-of-Congolese-chaos_a1871.html
