Danse MacabreMartin Zimmermann

Danse Macabre is the new creation of the choreographer and performer Martin Zimmermann. It is a continuation of his multi-layered oeuvre of the past twenty years. In Danse Macabre Zimmermann presents three tragicomical, fragile characters who have dropped out of the social norm and, find themselves in the same place at the same time in their distress. The stage set is reminiscent of an abandoned garbage dump where everything that is not reusable or degradable is discarded. In this godforsaken place the unlikely trio settles in to build a life. Defying severe setbacks and difficulties between them, the three characters played by Zimmermann’s favourite performers keep getting back up, pulling themselves together and coming up with unusual solutions. Another strange figure hovers over this fragile community of fate: death. Played by Martin Zimmermann, it interferes in the stage action as a mischievous puppet master, but remains invisible to the characters. The latter can therefore never be certain whether the disruptions and challenges they are constantly confronted with come from outside or whether they are part of their own history and inner world. In Danse Macabre the characters struggle for their survival and the only thing that can save them is their humour. 

“My humour is the laughable form of sadness. It is exaggerated into the comical and thus overcome. The tragicomical, to me, has the force of a possessed power: it is radical, incisively sharp, committed to wickedness, but also mischievous, precise and enigmatic. This multilayeredness provides inspiration and a point of departure for my work.” Martin Zimmermann

In Danse Macabre, Martin Zimmermann continues to pursue his interest in human figures who physically, socially and existentially find themselves on the margins of society and reveal so much about its “centre”. The exact location of those margins is defined from the centre, and “marginal” generally signifies that something is no longer needed, no longer really belongs and can break away from the rest anytime. Because social structures are increasingly dissolving, people live more and more often in communities of their own choice based on similar attitudes to meet their social needs. This is the ideal scenario. But it requires that people have freedom of movement and choices. When existential survival is a priority, communities are not formed for non-material reasons, but characterised by strategic and, indeed, material considerations. People are no longer united by similar outlooks on life, goals and desires, but by their shared enemy: marginalisation, endangerment, death.

Concept, direction, choreography: Martin Zimmermann Created with and interpreted by: Tarek Halaby, Dimitri Jourde, Methinee Wongtrakoon, Martin Zimmermann Music creation: Colin Vallon Dramaturgy: Sabine Geistlich Stage design: Simeon Meier, Martin Zimmermann Artistic collaboration: Romain Guion Development stage, technical coordination: Ingo Groher Construction decor: maisondelaculture de Bourges (Nicolas Bénard, Lucas Bussy, Jules Chavigny, Jean- Christophe David, Luc Renard, Joao De Sousa, Eric Vincent), Andy Hohl Costumes: Susanne Boner, Martin Zimmermann Light design: Sarah Büchel Sound design: Andy Neresheimer Motorization decor: Thierry Kaltenrieder Costumes confection: Susanne Boner Painting: Michèle Rebetez-Martin Creation stage manager: Roger Studer Light direction: Sarah Büchel, Jan Olieslagers, Ueli Kappeler Sound direction: Franck Bourgoin, Andy Neresheimer Stage manager: Roger Studer, Mateu Pascual Labourdette Photography: Nelly Rodriguez, Basil Stücheli Administration, distribution: Alain Vuignier International producer: Claire Béjanin Communication: Manuela Schlumpf Technical office: Ueli Kappeler Production: MZ Atelier 

Co-production: Fund of Reso – Dance Network Switzerland – supported by Pro Helvetia, Swiss Arts Council • Kaserne Basel • Kurtheater Baden • Le Volcan, scène nationale du Havre • Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg • L’Odyssée — Périgueux • maisondelaculture de Bourges / scène nationale • Opéra Dijon • Theater- und Musikgesellschaft Zug • Théâtre de Carouge • Zürcher Theater Spektakel With the support of: BvC Stiftung • Elisabeth Weber Stiftung • Ernst Göhner Stiftung • Fachausschuss Tanz & Theater BS / BL • Stiftung Corymbo 

With special thanks to: Leonie-Sophie Kündig, Daniel Kündig, Schauspielhaus Zürich