VERKOMMENES UFER

M E D EA MAT E R IA L
LA N D S C HA FT M IT A R G O NA UT E N
by lab.oratorium and muziektheater Transparant
premier: December 1. 2016, Antwerp

Was warst du vor mir Weib?

What was humanity before it got caught in the social structures and bureaucratic systems that are based on
a dated rule set and tradition which has almost no feeling whatsoever with reality?

Jason, a paragon of the civilized rational human being, tries to appease the furious Medea and mirrors her
what preceded before her dramatic outburst. We pose ourselves as the norm of civilized commonplace.
However the barbarity that seems to constantly resurface nowadays in our society, makes the human sense
of superiority loose its credibility. Arent we made from the same substance as our friends in the animal
kingdom that we denigrate, by briefly pleasing our needs, desires and passions just the same? As apparent
kings of conscience we need to address this reality. Throughout Medeamaterial the audience gets queried
and is forced to search for answers. What gives us the right of superiority over the other, mostly considered
non-human? Does Medea react on her denigrated treatment just like that of a non-human? Does she
overreact when her own desires and needs arent met by Jasons? Or is she standing her ground by simply
rewriting history in her act of elimination?

The complexity of Medea, slave and victim of these desires, needs and emotions, is too often being
displayed completely flattened and abstracted as femme fatale or child slayer. The human being and
personality of this tragic figure though deserves a less prejudiced approximation. Discomposed from the
guilt, the focus in this project switches to the quest of cause and action that are being made by Medea as
social figure. What drives a being m,f,x- to a coldblooded massacre of her own offspring? What triggers
someone to cut off its own roots of being? Is her love intoxication indeed the reason behind her
emancipation? More then 2400 years ago Euripides opposed Jason as semi victim across Medea as a tragic
figure. Jason together with his Argonauts, also raises questions in his quest of the gold fleece. Why would
he be the better judge of good and wrong, of what is best for their children, the products of a couple? In a
globalised world where we are constantly subjected to the pressure of diverting our own boundaries,
Medea seems more contemporary then ever before.

The poem of the German Heiner Mller was written in 1981. On the boundary of East- and West Berlin
depersonalises Mller his Medea-figure and comprehends the loss of the human as a complacent race,
convinced of its own apparent eminence. Mller doesnt spare anyone or anything. Do we really
comprehend what life is about? Or is it about time to participate in a process of awareness that chants the
relativity of our own being? Can we actually take a step back and redefine the core of our humanity? Or are
we beyond repair and about to be eliminated

lab.oratorium recreates Mllers poem as a total experience for soprano, double bass and dancer. The
tension line between the two protagonists, Jason and Medea is visualised by a seemingly voiceless figure.
During a game of seduction between two ideologies the audience is subjected to razor-sharp issues. And it
will be up to them to pass on the sentence.
credits

CONCEPT | STAGE DIRECTOR : Ada Gabrils

DRAMATURGY : Ylona Supr
MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS : Astrid Stockman | Innerwoud
MEDEA : Astrid Stockman
JASON : Innerwoud
CHOREOGRAPHY | DANCER : Lieselot Vanderroost
SCENOGRAPHY : Robert Gabrils
PRODUCTION : lab.oratorium | muziektheater Transparant

practical

duration: 1h15

contact

http://laboratoriumlaboratorium.tumblr.com/
http://www.transparant.be/en/productions/medeamaterial-2016-2017
oratoriumlab@gmail.com
aidagabriels@gmail.com
+32 474 05 14 55
biographies

Ada Gabrils
Graduated in Performative Arts at Ghent University Ada Gabrils (1993) has been active as a stage
director assistant and dramaturge for several opera and theatre projects in Belgium and the Netherlands.
As a director assistant she has been collaborating with Sjaron Minailo for La Monnaie in Brussels (Medlla
& To Be Sung) and Hollandfestival in Amsterdam (The Transmigration of Morton F.). Late 2015 she started
working on several projects as a dramaturge at La Monnaie (Mme Butterfly, Macbeth, Foxie!, European Opera
days 2016).

Ylona Supr
All the way from the Netherlands Ylona Supr (1985) graduated as a Visual Artist at Sint-Lucas Institute.
Afterwards she worked as a freelance producers for several artists, directors and festival in Europe.
Including Feikes Huis, Susies Haarlok, 3FM, Festival In Vervoering, Tate Britain en Festival De Werf
counted on her professional services. In 2012 Supre settled in Ghent, where she graduated in
Performative Arts (UGent). During her theatre studies she started working as a dramaturge for Julie Van
den Berghe at the city theatre of Ghent (NTGent). For the moment shes active as a freelance producer (e.g.
DAMn-magazine etc) and dramaturge again.

Astrid Stockman
Soprano Astrid Stockman (1987) graduated in singing and piano at the Lemmensinstitute in Leuven.
Operatic roles include Suor Angelica (Il Trittico), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Belinda (Dido & Aeneas),
Venus (Venus & Adonis), Marzelline in an adaption of Beethovens Fidelio. She also performed the role of
Mimi in Les desventures de Mimi, an opera for and with children and a co-production of BOZAR and
L'Auditori Barcelona. She worked for (music) theatre companies such as Muziektheater Transparant, LOD
Muziektheater, Walpurgis, Laika - Theatre of senses, She performed on major stages and festivals, such as
the Rotterdam Opera Days (NL), BOZAR (B), La Monnaie/De Munt (B), AMUZ (B), ILT Festival (DK),
Concertgebouw Brugge (B), DeSingel (B), Cultura Nova (NL), Le Volcan (FR), Le Channel (FR) etc.

Innerwoud
Pieter-Jan Van Assche (1991) moved to Ghent at age 18, graduated in African Studies (UGent) he started
playing the guitar at young age. After a few years he signed up for part time art school to study double bass.
Since 2010 he has been active in a wide range of projects e.g. Zara Zaj (neoclassical quartet), Ana Barii, De
Auteur etc. Two years ago Innerwoud was born, a solo project balancing between drone and neoclassical.
Known for the intensity of his live shows, Innerwoud is all about the total experience. Throughout the past
Pieter-Jan Van Assche proved himself as a composer and performer in both classical and modern area.

Lieselot Vanderroost
As a graduated visual artist Lieselot Vanderroost (1990) is familiar with different the art of creating. IN
2015 she graduated as master in the Arts at Ghent University. Throughout her life dance has been very
important for Lieselot. At early age she started following classes with at Nicole Kohler (Mudra), Siri
Clinckspoor, Hiroshi Wakamatsu, Sebastiaan Wawerek and Hans-Joachim David. For the moment shes
part of MarDanse, a dance company located in Ghent. From 2016 on Lieselot is teaching hip hop and
modern dance. At the end of September She will have her first self choreographed solo performance at
Private Tag, organised by Vrijstaat O.