In ALABAMA, Fien Leysen follows in the footsteps of her deceased father, reporter Kris Leysen. In 1978 he visited Birmingham, Alabama to create a television documentary for the Belgian broadcast station VRT. In Alabama, he spoke to young adults about work and studies, about the American Dream, and the gap between rich and poor. On his first night in Alabama, the local sheriff pulled over the television crew and charmed by their intentions, promptly gave Leysen the position of deputy sheriff (in name only). All so that the people of Birmingham would trust the film crew. Forty five years later, Fien - now the same age as her father then - sets off to Alabama. She wants to find the students and the sheriff from 1978, revisit the city and its people. In Birmingham, she’ll ask the questions her father forgot, and hopes to find answers for herself. Together with musician Steven De bruyn, Fien will share video of then and now on stage, and the result of her search.).

 

CREDITS

Direction, text, video, performance: Fien Leysen

Music: Steven De bruyn

Editing: Geert De Vleesschauwer, Fien Leysen

Technical assistance: Claire Hoofwijk
Scenography: Manu Siebens

Dramaturgy: Willem De Maeseneer

Outside eye: Yves Degryse

Research: Fien Leysen, Sam Loncke

Production management: Jessica Ridderhof
Productional support: Jane Seynaeve

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Distribution: Huub Colla/Collage Producties en BERLIN

(info@huubcolla.be en eveline@berlinberlin.be)
Distribution BERLN: Eveline Martens

Technical production manager BERLIN: Marjolein Demey
Business management: Tine Verhaert
Business support: Dagmar Renders
Communication: Sam Loncke
Production: BERLIN
Coproduction: theater Arsenaal, Het Laatste Bedrijf, meer te bevestigen
With the support of: the Flemish Government, Tax Shelter of the Belgian federal government via Flanders Tax Shelter and Gallop Tax Shelter.
With thanks

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