Foto's © Fien Leysen
WHO WE ARE
A pilot. An astronaut. A grandfather.
In Who We Are Fien Leysen tries to find an answer to the question in the title. In her second theater piece, Fien tries to discover who she is, in relation to others and herself. How fluid is identity, how unstable often. Who We Are therefore also looks at where we come from and where we are going to, and hopes to find answers to universal questions by means of a personal quest.
On stage, text and video are used. Conversations with an astronaut and Fien's own grandfather, who was a pilot in the Belgian army, form the framework and base for her search.
Fien Leysen was able to work with theater company Het Nieuwstedelijk as artist in residence / 'Jonge Maker' for an entire year. Wie We Zijn / Who We Are is her second piece and follows her first, well received theater performance Wat (Niet) Weg Is / That Which is (Not) Gone.
Special thanks to all interviewees: Fredo De Smet, Jan De Coster, Rachel, Tom Hannes, Frank De Winne, Koen Leysen, Paul Verhaeghe, Johan Braeckman, Maarten Larmuseau, Gustaaf Vandaele.
In this piece text and video are featured. The images were especially created for this performance, and consist of interviews and personal footage. Interviews, camera and editing by Fien Leysen. The old Super8 and 8mm images were filmed by Gustaaf Vandaele.
CREDITS
written, directed, played by Fien Leysen
music by Bert Hornikx
dramaturg Els Theunis
scenographer Manu Siebens
coaching Adriaan Van Aken en Sara Vertongen
technical coordination Viktor Thys en Kishan Singh
production Ellen Haesevoets
A piece by Het nieuwstedelijk and Fien Leysen
This production was made possible by the support of the Belgian federal government and the Tax Shelter initiative.
"Leysen moves us poetically, perfectly measured, and stimulating thought. (...) Who We Are is perhaps a friendly, but always interesting journey between the wide world and the personal home.
- Gilles Michiels in De Standaard (23/09/2019)
"Fien Leysen does it again: using interviews with scientists and experts, she casts out so many different lines you'll get dizzy, only to then reel them all in one by one, and put a bow in them by connecting them all to a moving personal story. Beautiful."
