Red Haired Men

“There was a red haired man who had no eyes or ears. He didn’t have hair either, so he was called red haired theoretically. He couldn’t speak, since he didn’t have a mouth. He didn’t have a nose either. He didn’t even have any arms or legs. He had no stomach and he had no back and he had no spine and he had no innards whatsoever. There was nothing! Therefore we don’t even know whom we are even talking about. It’s better that we don’t talk any more about him.”

— Daniil Kharms

Red Haired Men is a group performance inspired by the work of the Russian writer Daniil Kharms. Kharms wrote his short, estranging and funny texts in the dark times of Stalin’s purges. Uncomfortable physicality and movements, nonsense, and the materiality of language are typical ‘Kharmsian’ characteristics.

Alexander Vantournhout, along with three other performers, translates these onto the stage, where choreography is combined with pratiques minoritaires, such as circus and magic. Kharms himself was interested in the mingling of forms that were considered high art with those looked down upon as merely entertainment.

Following from his previous work: the solos Caprices (2014) and ANECKXANDER (2015), and the duets Raphaël (2017) and The Ceramic Rose (2018), Red Haired Men is Alexander Vantournhout’s first group choreography. It forms the next step in the development of a distinctive and idiosyncratic dance-acrobatic vocabulary.

Choreography: Alexander Vantournhout
Created with & performed by: Ruben Mardulier, Winston Reynolds, Axel Guerin and Alexander Vantournhout
Also performed by: Antoni Androulakis

Dramaturgy: Kristof van Baarle
Theatre coach: Jan Steen
Magical Advice: Tim Oelbrandt
Choreographical eye: Anneleen Keppens
Outside eyes: Lili M. Rampre

Construction: Willy Cauwelier
Technical coordination: Rinus Samyn & Bram Vandeghinste
Photos: Bart Grietens

With the support of: Flemish Government & City of Roeselare

Thanks to: Gili (Lieven Gheysen) & Dirk van Boxelaere

Production: not standing

Coproduction: Les 2 Pôles Nationaux des Arts du Cirque normands — La Brèche, Cherbourg and Cirque-Théâtre, Elbeuf (FR), Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER, Ghent (BE), PERPLX, Marke (BE), Subsistances, Lyon (FR), Le Manège, Reims (FR)

Residencies: Les 2 Pôles Nationaux des Arts du Cirque normands — La Brèche à Cherbourg et le Cirque-Théâtre d’Elbeuf (FR), Vooruit, Gent (BE), STUK-Leuven (BE), Bateau Feu, Dunkerque (FR), Theater op de Markt, Neerpelt (BE), Subsistances, Lyon (FR), P.A.R.T.S, Brussels (BE), Circuscentrum, Gent ( BE), De Warande, Turnhout (BE), Circa, Auch (FR), Tanzhaus NRW, Düsseldorf (DE), Le Manège, Reims (FR), De Grote Post, Oostende (BE), Kaap, Brugge-Oostende (BE), Actoral, Marseille (FR), Wood Cube, Roeselare (BE)

Alexander Vantournhout is artist-in-residence in Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER in Ghent and associated artist of le CENTQUATRE Paris and Cirque-théâtre Elbeuf. He’s cultural ambassador of the city of Roeselare and supported by Fondation BNP Paribas for the development of his projects.