The Border

04 Nov 2011 - 05 Nov 2011

Venue: Main Theatre
Ages: All Ages

The Market Theatre in association with Dance Forum invites South African dance fans to join them for two free performance of a new work created by Norwegian playwright, director and choreographer Jo Strømgren which will be presented on 4 & 5 November 2011 at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg.

In partnership with the Norwegian Embassy this company will be coming to South Africa to present The Border, a theater performance that recently premiered in Norway – and received great reviews!

The Border tells of a man and a woman of different nationalities who share a workplace in a Consulate far north. Mutual respect is a virtue, but, beneath the surface, a territorial war is taking place. Perhaps even more is at stake, like the discovery of emotional addiction - to each other, to the game itself, or a vicious mix of both as is often the case between the sexes. With a bit of imagination, yet another level of understanding is possible. Could this troublesome coexistence resemble a classic border dispute between two nations?

Through text and movement, theatre and dance, humour and sensuality, a story unfolds with surprising twists and turns. The initial symptoms of a classical drama slowly shift into a far more surreal frame of reference. Motivations become blurry, props get new functions, consequences are no longer predictable. The show aims to reject clever playwriting and rather explore the dynamics of irrational human behaviour. After all, in the midst of conflicts with the opposite sex we tend to be very unclever indeed.

Jo Strømgren Kompani was founded in 1998 and has grown to become one of the best known independent groups in Scandinavia. The company presents 100 - 200 shows in 10-20 countries annually and has so far produced 21 stage performances, one feature film and short movie. The style is characterised by dancing actors and a peculiar mix of dance and theatre, with puppet theatre, film, and live music often added. They are also known for their use of non-sensical language. Jo Strømgren also has a successful career as a freelance choreographer, theatre director, and playwright. The Border is a collaboration between Jo Strømgren Kompani and one of the northernmost institutional theatres in the world - Hålogaland Teater in Tromsø. Even though the full panoramic view to the border dispute hotspot of the Arctic region adds a specific relevance, the theme is universal to the core. Border conflicts exist everywhere.

For More information: www.jskompani.no and www.markettheatre.co.za