After reading their mother's will, siblings Jeanne and Simon Marwan are given two envelopes - one for their father, whom they thought was dead, and the other for their brother, whom they did not know even existed. In these mysterious messages, Jeanne sees the key to understanding the silence of her mother, who, for unknown reasons, spoke to no one in the last years of her life. She immediately decides to leave and investigate her family's past, about which she knows nothing. Simon, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with the posthumous excesses of his mother, with whom he never had a close relationship. However, his love for his twin sister soon compels him to join her, and so he travels with her through the land of their ancestors, following in the footsteps of a mother who is nothing like the mother they knew.
The thrilling story of the twins will be brought to you by the French-Slovak theatrical performance Scorch sites - Incendies under the direction of THEATRAbratislava. The story is directed by Guillaume De Canck & Aurélie Houser based on a play from Wajdi Mouawad. The event will take place on Friday 23 September at 7pm as part of the 17th annual [fjúžn] festival. You don't have to be bilingual to attend.
"Bilingualism emphasizes a plurality of sounds, understanding and cultures. A woman leaves her country to relocate and to secure a better future in an unfamiliar country and culture. Two children leave their country to understand the past of their ancestors in a culture that was never known to them. What are we prepared to do to better understand ourselves and to be better understood?" says director Aurélie Houser.
It is not easy to piece together the family past and come to terms with it. That is why THEATRAbratislava decided that the audience can directly participate in this difficult task. You will be drawn into the action, you will be part of another reality. This is the essence of immersive theatre. They want to offer you the opportunity to be actively involved, to put the pieces of the story together yourself. The performance will be unique for everyone – be it the order in which you meet the characters, the language you understand them in, or where you stand when you watch them. The performance is also meant to make people question what it is like to have freedom and choice in their lives.
About THEATRAbratislava:
THEATRAbratislavais a theatre company with a focus on a multilingual and multicultural artistic creation. It covers issues of our times and considers itself as a living laboratory that brings new ways to create and interact with the audience in Slovakia.
It was founded in 2019 in Bratislava by two French artists. Sharing knowledge and experiences by teaching to a varied audience or by interacting with universities and schools is part of its creative cycle.
About the fjúžn festival:
The [fjúžn] festival has been organized by the Milan Šimečka Foundation since 2006 and has gradually become the largest multi-genre and multicultural event focused on migration and foreigners in Slovakia, with national and international significance. It goes beyond one kind of art and offers a rich program of concerts, exhibitions, literature, theater, film, workshops, lectures and presentations, discussions, community events, a children's program, school events and many other activities.
This article has been brought to you by the Milan Šimečka Foundation.
