Noise and voice. Man and women. We have been waiting for it since Christmas and now they are finally back. The congenious duo Joanna Dudley and Dirk Dresselhaus, latter better known as Schneider TM, present LOUIS & BEBE.
The evening definitely belongs to the best works in experimental musical theatre Berlin has seen lately. And that does mean something.
Joanna Dudley is a performer, classically trained musician and singer from Australia, who has, among others, been working together with Heiner Goebbels, Hans Peter Kuhn, Thomas Ostermeier and Sasha Waltz.
Schneider TM most probably does not need any further introduction at this point. He is well known for both, his electro pop music and improvised noise.
After their first collaboration in 2007, when they realized their much acclaimed ‘scorpionfish’ project at Radialsystem and Volksbuehne, they got together for a second project, which premiered at Sophiensaele in December last year and will now be shown again as part of the ‘Plan C’ meeting of the ‘International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts’.
A dreamlike series of scattered songs that cover a range from hardly audible, super calm sounds to an outburst of heavy metal screaming noise. A sometimes continuous sometimes disruptive floating of scenes like an ungraspable but trace leaving stream from tender to harsh.
It is more than the plain story of a couple which serves as formal framework, be it two lovers, a sister and brother, a pair of silent plants or two bird like fighters transforming through the chain of being in three lives and deaths within six songs.
More important are the overflowing associations which the phantastic sounds and images give rise to. LUIS & BEBE might be described best as an open work of arts that calls upon the audiences own subconscious to be set free, never foreseeable what the inspiration will trigger. Be it delicious or frightening, it certainly will be driven by desire. Perhaps this and not the partly pretty high sound volume is the true reason why at the entrance you will be supplied with a pair of earplugs.
LOUIS & BEBE” Joanna Dudley / Schneider TM
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q7QcltDb4Go
This evening combines everything what an excellent work of collaborative art needs. That is, perhaps first of all, a liaison of people who not only know but also passionately love what they are doing, thereby sensitively hearing to and seeing each others. Listening to the highly musical interplay between Joanna Dudley and Dirk Dresselhaus, who in their contrarian appearances fit perfectly together, is a true delight. This is music, indeed. But, for a success like this, it takes more than two.
Thanks to the very well done lighting by Jens Sethzman the already spectacular space of Sophiensaele is given the chance to unfold its whole potential of magically rotten charm. Only seldom we have seen the Festsaal glow in such a beauty. Rufus Didwiszus, who also took part in the general conception of the piece, arranged a stage which gives place for most astonishing views. Once again we learn that, often enough, less is more.
A pile of dried leaves on the floor whose amplified cracking serves as raw material for Dresselhaus’ live sampling expands acoustically over the whole space. A chair in the back whose seat incredibly slowly covers up with a thin stream of dust rinsing from the sealing. Or we see a massive bell hanging down on a rope, just waiting for the initial chime that only rings at the very end.
An integral part do also play the costumes designed by Peter Bax. He not only supplies the two musicians with an unpretentious fitting but also accounts for the introduction of substantial figures. It is amazing which transformational power his white bird masks develop, not to mention the absolutely great full size plant costumes. metamorphosis at its best.
We highly recommend this outstanding event!
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LOUIS & BEBE
Schneider TM & Joanna Dudley
15.-17.04.2010 | 21:00 CET
Sophiensaele / Sophienstr. 18 / 10178 Berlin/Mitte
http://www.sophiensaele.com | http://www.joannadudley.com
http://www.schneidertm.net | http://www.bp-berlin.com
