CIVILISATION (Kultur)

You could say, CIVILISATION begins with a hairdryer, with a completely normal day in the life of a young woman. Or so it seems, because her life has just gone pretty far off course. You could say, CIVILISATION “is many things at the same time: theatre, dance, performance art, illuminating and mysterious, hilarious and heart-breaking” as theatre critic Liam Rees wrote in 2019 after the premiere in Edinburgh. This describes a production that imperceptibly makes something tangible for which there are first of all no words to describe.
CIVILISATION draws the narrative arc step by step and is patient enough to allow what is to be understood here slowly occur in the audience – as confusing or as fundamental as you allow it to be, as warm and as full-on as possible. At the same time, the theatrical form with which director Jaz Woodcock-Stewart and her artistic colleagues take the audience on the journey with them is quite astounding. While Sophie Steer performs a monologue almost without any words, the three dancers open up a parallel universe, through which feelings steer their course. And this dramaturgy is so compelling, poetic, direct and tangible that it leaves a powerful echo behind.

Jaz Woodcock-Stewart studied acting and directing in London, founded her own theatre group, worked as an assistant director, wrote plays and has staged projects with acting and dance students. CIVILISATION is her third self-developed play and directorial work, in which she brings acting and dance together for the first time.