Perzen. Triomf van Empathie | NTGent
29.11.24 01.12.24

Perzen. Triomf van Empathie Chokri Ben Chikha / NTGent & Action Zoo Humain

TICKETS

Press YVDE5339 edit c kurt van der Elst bijgesneden voor website Kurt Van der Elst
Director Chokri Ben Chikha examines the empathic capacity of six performers. Do they succeed in perceiving a decades-old highly polarised conflict differently through the lens of a Greek tragedy?
practical

tickets

15 - 28 euros

TRIGGER WARNING: The performance contains authentic images from Israel and Palestine. There are sounds, images and scenes that can be emotionally intense and potentially shocking.

general info

✔️ Spoken in different languages
✔️ Dutch & English surtitles
✔️ On November 29, director Chokri Ben Chikha, actress and dancer Marah Haj Hussein, and Ludo De Brabander (Vrede vzw) will meet in the NTGent foyer for a debate on The role of art, empathy and international solidarity in the context of the Palestinian genocide, moderated by moderator Nora Mahammed (director TheaterFestival). Registration is not required. The debate will be in Dutch.




Perzen. Triopf van Empathie is a unique theater production directed by Chokri Ben Chikha. In this performance, he explores with six performers how they can show more understanding and empathy in a conflict that has lasted for decades: the conflict between Israel and Palestine. They do this by examining one of the oldest plays in history, The Persians by the Greek playwright Aeschylus.

This play is about a war between the Greeks and the Persians, in which the writer himself fought against the Persians. The central question is: Did Aeschylus have empathy and understanding for his enemy, or did he primarily want to demonstrate how superior the Greeks were? By posing these questions, the performers seek connections between this ancient story and the current genocide in the Middle East.

(read more below the quote)

"A deliberate punch in the stomach (...) Theatre cannot stop the killing but it does have the power to look the other person in the eye as a human being in the midst of the chaos"
De Standaard (BE) ****

The performance, based on interviews conducted by Ben Chikha in January 2024 in Israel and Palestine, combines words, dance, and music into a vibrant and poignant whole. Perzen. Triomf van Empathie thus balances between art and reality, opportunism and empathy.

credits

with & by

Hellen Boyko, Liah Frank, Marah Haj Hussein, Mareille Labohm, Leblalta Abdennacer (Iskara_Alonzo), Sofiane El Boukhari

concept, direction & choreography

Chokri Ben Chikha

dramaturgy

Sietske de Vries

text

Erik-Ward Geerlings with the perfomers

movement coach

Izah Hankammer, Daisy Phillips

film (camera & edit)

Jan Beddegenoodts

video

Wim Piqueur

music

Jo Thilemans

light design

Dennis Diels

set design

Karolien De Schepper

costume design

Chloé Wasselin-Dandre

production manager

Irina Leskovskaya

technical production management

Patrick Martens

stagemanagement

Bennert Vancottem

technique

Geert De Rodder, Jo Thielemans, Wim Piqueur

surtitles

Liesbeth Standaert

production assistant

Clara François

project team

Irina Leskovskaya, Leen Van Welden (project management), Maarten Degezelle (public relations), Loubna Boukaroua, Oya Ben Chikha (communication), Jo De Visscher (costume studio coordination), Joris Soenen (decoration studio coordination), Carl Vermeersch (artistic planning)

set, props and costumes

NTGent

production

NTGent, Action Zoo Humain

coproduction

Theater Rotterdam

with the support of

The Belgian Tax Shelter

special thanks to

Ludo De Brabander, Esmeralda Schütz, Eitan Bronstein Aparicio, Ludo Abicht, Isabelle Grynberg, Charles-Daniel Schreiber, Zouzou Ben Chikha, Jawad Musleh, Angela Godfrey, Robi Damelin, Roni Zeidan, Dani Brodsky, Moshe Zimmermann, Yael Ayalon, Amer Badan, Freddy Rokem, Munther Isaac, Rashed Khudairy, An Verelst, Sophie Samyn
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credits

with & by

Hellen Boyko, Liah Frank, Marah Haj Hussein, Mareille Labohm, Leblalta Abdennacer (Iskara_Alonzo), Sofiane El Boukhari

concept, direction & choreography

Chokri Ben Chikha

dramaturgy

Sietske de Vries

text

Erik-Ward Geerlings with the perfomers

movement coach

Izah Hankammer, Daisy Phillips

film (camera & edit)

Jan Beddegenoodts

video

Wim Piqueur

music

Jo Thilemans

light design

Dennis Diels

set design

Karolien De Schepper

costume design

Chloé Wasselin-Dandre

production manager

Irina Leskovskaya

technical production management

Patrick Martens

stagemanagement

Bennert Vancottem

technique

Geert De Rodder , Jo Thielemans, Wim Piqueur

surtitles

Liesbeth Standaert

production assistant

Clara François

project team

Irina Leskovskaya, Leen Van Welden (project management), Maarten Degezelle (public relations), Loubna Boukaroua, Oya Ben Chikha (communication), Jo De Visscher (costume studio coordination), Joris Soenen (decoration studio coordination), Carl Vermeersch (artistic planning)

set, props and costumes

NTGent

production

NTGent, Action Zoo Humain

coproduction

Theater Rotterdam

with the support of

The Belgian Tax Shelter

special thanks to

Ludo De Brabander , Esmeralda Schütz, Eitan Bronstein Aparicio, Ludo Abicht, Isabelle Grynberg, Charles-Daniel Schreiber, Zouzou Ben Chikha, Jawad Musleh, Angela Godfrey, Robi Damelin, Roni Zeidan, Dani Brodsky, Moshe Zimmermann, Yael Ayalon, Amer Badan, Freddy Rokem, Munther Isaac, Rashed Khudairy, An Verelst, Sophie Samyn
practical

tickets

15 - 28 euros

TRIGGER WARNING: The performance contains authentic images from Israel and Palestine. There are sounds, images and scenes that can be emotionally intense and potentially shocking.

general info

✔️ Spoken in different languages
✔️ Dutch & English surtitles
✔️ On November 29, director Chokri Ben Chikha, actress and dancer Marah Haj Hussein, and Ludo De Brabander (Vrede vzw) will meet in the NTGent foyer for a debate on The role of art, empathy and international solidarity in the context of the Palestinian genocide, moderated by moderator Nora Mahammed (director TheaterFestival). Registration is not required. The debate will be in Dutch.


Beyond madness, tenderness awaits Until it holds from the inside There's all that future, still With closed eyes, you can see whomever you’d like Only humans can fantasise