Theatre Play "The Place To Be"

March 2019

Theatre Play "The Place To Be"
Ghent, Belgium
Photos by Freddy Willems

 The gym is one of the few places in the city were people from different backgrounds cross each other’s path in such an intimate way; as diverse as their lives and backgrounds might be, they all want the same thing: to see another version of themselves in the mirror. Fit, stronger, good looking, healthier, more masculine and generally better. Yes, we can! Can’t we?

Since the autumn of 2018, Dominique Willaert (BEL) and Maiada Aboud (PSE) have been going to work out at Fit Out in Destelbergen at least twice a week with a large, super-diverse group of players. They have tested the special dynamics between people who work out, machines and mirrors. They tried to understand the order and the unwritten codes of the mini-societies that gyms are and put it up for questioning. And they consciously pushed their own physical and mental limits, in order to learn more about the relationship they have with their bodies and with movement. Out of these experiments they will create a theater performance on location.

 Abuot the Actors

In October 2018, Victoria Deluxe, in collaboration with Fit Out, recruited about twenty actors through open auditions. Some of them have theater experience, others have never been on stage before. Some have already been bitten by the fitness microbe for a long time, others are very new to the game.

Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - The Place To Be
Maiada Aboud - Tears of Tar
Maiada Aboud - Tears of Tar
Maiada Aboud - Tears of Tar
Maiada Aboud - Tears of Tar

 Concept en Regie: Dominique Willaert, Maiada Aboud

eluid: Ruben Nachtergaele Video: Brecht Vanhoenacker Regie-assistentie: Babette Vergauwen (stage) Spel: Taj Abla, Mustafa al Omran, Emma Boeyaert, Aroa Canay, Mo Chen, Steff Coppieters, Emma Gheeraert, Ivan Gordillo, Ebenezer Ankrah, Sieber Marly, Maryssa Merchiers, Alpaslan Mercimek, Ben Aziz Ouedraogo, Tylyn Overmeire, Isabelle Rey, Marcos Rey, Charlotte Roels, Liselotte Slosse, Isabelle Step, Sam Van Eyken, Eric Vanhaeken, Jan Verstraeten Procesbegeleiding: Liselotte Slosse (stage), Emma Gheeraert Techniek: Gerold Van Thieghem, Ferre Carron Productieleiding Liesbeth Maene Productieassistentie Marieke Vanassche (stage), Leen De Boeck (stage) Fotograaf: freddy Willems Vorm: Agnes De Maeseneir

https://www.victoriadeluxe.be/the-place-to-be/