A WILD JOURNEY THROUGH POPULAR CULTURAL CLICHÉS
Under the name of Nieuw Symbolistisch Theater, Iva & Petar created a visual-comedy production first called Le Triomphe de la Fidélité, later An Antique Soap Opera, composed as a bizarre baroque revue; a serie of ‘divertissements’ featuring the whole spectrum of puppet-like larger than life grotesque characters.
The show was based on popular melodramatic motifs picked-up from numerous ‘classical’ ballets, operas and operettas, deliberately fragmented, cut and thrown in a bizarre mixture. But the purpose of the show was never a parody of opera or ballet. The idea behind was…
HOW DID WE TRY TO COMBAT DEADLY THEATRE
The idea behind it was to provoke the spectator and to stir up his established perception about theatre, and by doing so, to “account for” with cultural snobbism, a phenomenon that Peter Brook called ‘deadly theatre’; the idea they explain in detail in their publication A Letter to Our Spectator. >> read the whole article
Their provocative and hyper-ironic approach rose quite some (high)brows. It was obvious that a dose of cynicism was ‘too much’ and it couldn’t survive in a culture-consumer society. In order to ‘save the show’, the second version was created, this time with a milder form of irony and focusing more on comedy-aspect and virtuosity of performance. But to create a comedy without words…
CREATING A COMEDY WITHOUT WORDS
But to create a comedy without words, using only masks, (dance) movement and a prerecorded sound-track was in itself yet another challenge. After many trial-and-error experiments, ultimately the final version of the show was created – with almost mathematical precision of the audience reaction (laughter/applause) that counts in comedy. Larger than life grotesque characters; Quick changes; Scenic Illusions; Originality of stage effects; Movements executed with almost mechanical precision of ‘ubermarionettes’, and at the end of the show a breathtaking surprise-effect that only 2 performers appeared in the role of more than 25 characters ensured the desired and deserved effect that brought them to a broad audience, touring throughout Europe at a great number of large theatres, festivals and opera-houses. >> important appearances
“LE TRIOMPHE DE LA FIDÉLITÉ”
later “EINE ANTIEKE SOAP-OPERA”
A WILD JOURNEY THROUGH POPULAR CULTURAL CLICHÉS
OR HOW DID WE TRY TO COMBAT DEADLY THEATRE
Dramaturgy, choreography, décor, stage effects, masks, costumes, and performance (in the role of more than 25 characters):
IVA KOSTOVIC-MANDIC & PETAR MANDIC
Music fragments by (a.o.):
Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Fall, Bizet, Puccini, Donizetti, Zeller, Disney, Nomi, Hitchcock, Jarré, Toto, Masters of the Universe, Weber, Sinatra, Mozart, Lille, Rymski-Korsakow, Offenbach, Charpentier…
Voice over: Jeroen Kranenburg, Ena Heese, Minnie Marx
Light Designer: Lodewijk Wijnberg
Stage Manager: Emil Erbé
Duration: 90 minutes with intermission
Premiere version 1:
Le Triomphe de la Fidelite – DE KLEINE KOMEDIE AMSTERDAM 1986
Premiere version 2:
Eine Antike Soap Opera – STADSSCHOUWBURG RIJSWIJK 1992
PRESS ARTICLES
“Unterhaltsam und witzig, parodistisch und satirisch! Perfekte Körperbeherrschung und perfekte Timing bilden die Basis des verdienten Erfolges.”
– WESTFALISCHE NACHRICHTEN, 26.07.90.
“Nach der gestrigen Vorstellung zahlen sich wohl auch die Zuschauer aus Hilden zu den Freunden der ‘antiken Soap-Opera’.”
– NRZ HILDEN, 5.08.91.
“…eine gelungene, perfekte Show.”
– RPf, Pirmasens 24. 07- 90.
“Wie sehr das ‘Nieuw Symbolistisch Theater’ beim Publikum angekomen ist, machte der sterke Beifalll am Schluss deutlich.”
– Cuxhavener Nachrichten, 23.02.90.
“— Wie die ganze perfekte Show, die das bürgerliche Bildungsgut so trefflich aufs Korn nahm bestand auch er aus Zitaten die Spaß machten aber auch zum Nachdenken anregten.”
– Dülmener Zeitung, 26.06.90
“Grellbunt, pompös und in überdimensionalen Masken heimste das „Nieuw Symbolistisch Theater Amsterdam” zu später Stunde noch viel Beifall ein.”
– Wormser Zeitung, 8.07-91.
“Köstlich sind zahlreiche, für standig neue Überraschung sorgende ausstatterische Gags.”
– Rhein-Main-Presse, 21.10.89.
“Lebende Bilder als schrillfarbige Enzyklopädie bunter Kunsttraume!”
– Kaiserslautern, June 91.
“Eine völlig neue Art des visuellen Theaters.”
– Kölner Wochenspiegel, 23.09.92.
“Herzlicher Beifall!”
– Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, 17.09.92.
LE TRIOMPHE DE LA FIDÉLITÉ / EINE ANTIKE SOAP OPERA – PLAYLIST
LE TRIOMPHE DE LA FIDÉLITÉ premiered on April 1, 1986 in the Kleine Komedie in Amsterdam. The title of the show had been changed in EINE ANTIKE SOAP OPERA in 1991 and continued under that name until the end of 1992. With great success the show had been touring most different venues, from classical theatres and opera-houses to numerous festivals and open-air stages – in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and Spain.
