Swing!
Swing! is a contemporary performance exploring the echoes between Iran and the United States. What do golf, Persian poetry, Martin Luther King, Zarathoustra, Buffalo Bill and Sarah Palin have to do with each other? Orchestrated by Persian American theatre director Leili Yahr, this atomic poetical fresco of sound and vision plays with representations of both cultures in a space of fantasy.
9-13 December 2015 / Theatre Oriental-Vevey Switzerland
Genesis
As a Swiss citizen, born of a Texan father and a Persian mother, Leili Yahr desires to grind this explosive inheritance. Awareness of where we come from allows us to take a stand in the world freely. This is all the more urgent considering the recent outbreak of nationalisms and stigmatization.
The show endeavours to breach the prejudiced relationship between Iran and the United States by creating a space of fantasy inspired by representations of these two cultures. A visual, acoustic and textual hybrid composition based on these traces and their appropriation by the actors. Let us bet that the western and eastern poetries merge enabling us to feel and think from a novel perspective.
Research
We had the opportunity to experience these ideas and to set forth the first scenic lines of Swing! during a workshop which took place at the Theatre Saint-Gervais in Geneva from 9-13th 2015. The entire Swing! team met for a first stage research. Promising artistic material emerged from this privileged moment.
Creation
Following MEDEA (2013), we are very happy to extend our collaboration with the Theatre Oriental-Vevey which welcomes the creation and five representations of Swing! from 9 till 13 December 2015. As a young theatre company, this renewed trust in our work is extremely gratifying.
The team
- Artistic direction: Leili Yahr
- Artistic collaboration: Denis Correvon
- Acting: Roberto Garieri and Catia Machado
- Music: Roberto Garieri alias Roccobelly
- Scenography: Ana Montoro and Samir Alaoui
- Lighting design: Nicolas Mayoraz
- Management: Stéphane Frein
- Visual communication: Laure Schwarz
- Video and photo: Jean-François Vercasson
- Chef cook: Gaëtan Delmotte
The Kaleidos Company
The Kaleidos theatre company is managed by Leili Yahr and aims to create multidisciplinary shows that combine in-depth socio-philosophical reflection with innovative stagecraft. Swing! is the second production of the company and pursues the artistic research initiated with MEDEA, a musical composition based on excerpts from texts by Euripides and H.Müller alluding to the legendary story of Medea. The stage is like a frozen expanse onto which crashes the wild Medea, igniting the setting through voice and body. A chorus follows her on her journey and becomes one with the scenery. MEDEA was performed at Theatre Oriental-Vevey (in March 14-17th, 2013) and at Theatre Galpon in Geneva (in March 30-31st, 2013).
Will you swing with us?
To realize this project, the Kaleidos Company has undertaken a large funding research with institutional contributors some of which are supporting us for the second time. However, at the present time, we still need support from you to create this show in good conditions. Your contribution will among others serve to cover the expenses of the visual dimension of the show. Your support is precious to us, whatever the amount.
We are looking forward to sharing this experience with you!