2023-24
idé, medskaber og performer

Magie nouvelle laboratorium udført af Korbo

Gennem historiefortælling, visuelt teater, magie nouvelle og musik skabes og udforskes det totale mørke. Hvad kan mørket åbne op til? Hvordan kan vi eksistere sammen i mørket? Hvordan kan man tæmme mørket? Hvordan kan mørket være et mulighedernes rum? -et rum hvor ting kan skifte form, forsvinde og opstå, samt eksistere efter andre regler end dem vi er vant til når lyset er tilstede?

Ovenstående spørgsmål undersøges med afsæt i en amerikansk indiansk skabelsesmyte, Ravn stjæler lyset. Myten fortæller om en verden svøbt i et totalt mørke. Verdens lys er gemt i en kiste i en gammel fiskers hus. Ravn formår efter diverse forvandlinger at trænge ind i huset og således at stjæle lyset og give det tilbage til verden.

Fremtid - kreation 2026

Laboratoriearbejdet danner grundlaget for hvad det vil blive en magie nouvelle forestilling med et særligt fokus på et ungt publikum - fra 6 år. 

Forstillingen vil spille i et mobilt mørklægningsrum, som kan skabe et intimt scenerum og rumme et publikum på 30-50 tilskuere, samtidig med at det har trylletekniske mekanismer indbygget - som et møde mellem en black box, et lille cirkustelt og et shamantelt. Her kan vi skabe et fælles og totalt mørke, samt forme og arbejde med dette mørke - et rum som kan opføres både inde og ude, således danne ramme om vidt forskellige scenekunstoplevelser, som har mørket som medspiller.

Via projektet ønskes at skabe en fordybet refleksion over mørket. Mørket som noget værdifuldt. Som noget vi måske skal værne om og passe på. At mørket ikke kun er fraværet af lys, men har en masse at byde på i sig selv.
Samtidig ønsker vi at forbinde os med vores forfædres teaterform, historiefortællingen under nattehimlen, shamanen der frembringer ånder i sit telt.

Forestillingen skabes af Korbo i co-produktion med DYNAMO Workspace & The Krumple

Laboratorium udført af:
Claus Kaarsgaard - musiker
Luc Perez - billedkunstner
Léna Rondé - idé & scenekunstner
David Tholander - idé & scenekunstner

med støtte fra Statens Kunstfond

2023
medskaber og performer

Nycirkus forestilling af Rapid Eye

Co-produceret af DYNAMO Workspace

Magisk gys i poetisk mysteriefortælling.

Afskyelige snemænd, radioaktive efterdønninger eller bloddragende intriger. SNOWDROPS er en nycirkusfortolkning af et sandt og uhyggeligt mysterie, en rejse ind i gyset og en fortabelse i det uhyggelige. Et mysterium som efterlod 9 personer døde på uforklarlig vis under en vinterekspedition i Dyatlovpasset i Uralbjergene, 1959. 

Med tryllekunstnerens fingerfærdighed blandes Dyatlov Ekspeditionens arkivmateriale med umulige tricks, surrealistiske gysertableauer og magiske eksperimenter.

Idé & Koncept: Samuel Gustavsson
Af & Med: Samuel Gustavsson & David Tholander
Dramaturg & Outside Eye: Léna Rondé
Komponist: Pauline Hogstrand & Ingvild Skandsen
Scenografisk konsulent: Lisbeth Burian
Rekvisitør & kostumer: Signe Beckmann

Pressen skrev

“I Snowdrops er magien uhyre subtil – i de fleste tilfælde – hvilket ligesom den lavmælte tale og de naivt undrende ansigter spiller godt op imod det magtfulde lydbillede og historiens iboende dramatik.

I én scene sprøjter blodet med næsten parodisk intensitet og udgør sammen med tavlescenen det rytmiske kontrapunkt til den helt neddæmpede klovnegestik, der giver Snowdrops en fin, uskyldig undren – en poetisk, livfuld hyldest til dem, livet ikke elskede.”

Anne Liisberg, ISCENE, 21. april 2023

“En tragisk hændelse bliver til forunderlig nøgtern poesi i Samuel Gustavssons nycirkusgreb ’Snowdrops’.

(...) Det er konturerne af de ni kroppes endeligt, der her bliver rekonstrueret - ledsaget af små byger af snefnug, som et skær af poetisk trylleri over de skræmmende, iskolde kendsgerninger. 

Hvor meget kraft skal der til for at banke en konservesdåse flad, og hvad så, hvis man retter køllen mod ens kranie? En strøm af næseblod breder sig. Kroppene føles stadig mere udsatte, mens en rumlende lydside nærmer sig lavinestyrke. 

Til slut forsvinder de selv. Der er ikke nogen løsning.

(…) Her spiller ‘Snowdrops’ et par gange i maj som afslutning på sit alt for korte liv.”

Monna Dithmer, Politiken, 26. april 2023

2020

concept, co-creator and performer

Magie nouvelle creation by Fantom

Co-produced by DYNAMO Workspace and The Krumple

Magic, choreography, space and sound installation are the main ingrediens in this peculiar performance, which examines fanatically pecking pigeon’s similarities with humans in a digital age.

The audience is guided through a series of experiments inspired by famous professor in behaviour psychology, B.F. Skinner, and his work with pigeons post WWII.

As the audience is presented with the results of Skinner’s eksperiments, similarities start to appear between the pigeons’ fanatically pecking and the contemporary human’s addiction to new technologies. The pigeon pecks a button and gets food. The human taps his smartphone and receives a notification. But to which extent are we manipulated by the designers of these digital tools, that trigger this behaviour in us? Thanks to Skinner and his pigeons the performance examines the psychological mechanisms behind digital-addiction and asks - how free is the free will?

The rich and very original sound design of the performance is created installatively with 10 different audio outputs, accompanied by 78 autonome output devices. Thus, the whole space constitutes one big instrument for the sound composition of the performance, moving from the stage, above and around the audience, to end up right in the pocket of each individual audiencemember.

NB: The audience are not allowed to bring their phones into the performance space. They will be kept safely in lockers during the performance.

The performance is created by the artistic collective Fantom (Burian/Sørensen/Tholander) in co-production with DYNAMO Workspace & The Krumple

Concept & performer: David Tholander Staging & set designer: Lisbeth Burian Sound artist & composer: C.S. Sørensen Light design: Raphaël Solholm Set design assistent: Frederikke Krogh Artistic collaboration: Léna Rondé Dramaturgical consultant: Trine Wisbech Choreographic consultant: Kristoffer Louis Andrup Pedersen

Costumes: Camilla Lind Tech-wizard: Peer K / Gadget Group Magic consultant: Joachim Solberg Sound engineer: Lasse Munk Audio software: Jacob Tolstrup Sound technician: Palle Nothlev Construction & technician: Stefan Goldbaum Tarabini Construction: Casper Mufufu Christensen, Bastien Méraud & Sjakker Jensby Jacobsen Stage technician: Asbjørn Prip Andersen Producer & production manager: Ida Kristine Nørgaard

More info about the performance and Fantom: fantom.nu

2019
co-creator og performer

Physical theatre piece by The Krumple

DÉJÀ is inspired by the award-winning graphic novel “Here” by Richard McGuire.

It takes place in a single location, 20 square meters of a living room, but on a massive timeframe - reaching deep into the past (80 006 032 BCE) and projecting into the future (7 billion CE). Multiple characters from different times coexist and interact in this space, and create an accumulation of cocktail parties, arguing couples, geiger counters, a fire, a flooding, arrivals and farewells.

Through expressive movement, magical illusion, puppetry, and striking imagery, the Krumple seeks to create a living time-capsule of the current moment, everything that has led up to it, and project where humanity might be going. It questions our significance, or rather - our insignificance, faced with the passing of time.

The project is a co-production with Nordland Visual Theatre in Norway, and is supported by Arts Council Norway (NO), Dramatikkens Hus (NO), Nordland Fylkeskommune (NO), Fond for Lyd og Bilde (NO), Danish Arts Foundation (DK), SPENN (NO), l'Espace Périphérique (FR), L’Akuarium (FR) and SPEDIDAM (FR). The show premiered at Stamsund International Theatre Festival in 2019, opened Bergen Festival Fringe '19 and was shown at Espace Paul Éluard in Paris the same year. DÉJÀ will tour northern Norway and Denmark during spring 2021.

With and by the Krumple: David Tholander, Léna Rondé, Oda Kirkebø Nyfløtt, Vincent Vernerie and Jo Even Bjørke. Lighting design: Claire Gondrexon. Sound design: Christian Skjødt. Set design: Caroline Ginet. Costumes: Sylvie Berthou and Vilde Jensen Hjetland. Outside eye: Gwendolyn Warnock. Dramaturgical assistance: Kristina Kjeldsberg. Choreograpical assistance: Catherine Bézex. Set construction: Tim Lucassen and Jan Erik Skarby. Set assistants: Fabien Saleil and Pia Rondé. Sound assistants: Paulucci Bakke and Viljar Losnegård. Stage managers: Holly Taylor and Agathe Patonnier. Props assistant: Pauline Schill.

More info about DÉJÀ and The Krumple:
thekrumple.com

Photos by Antero Hein.

Video by Ole Marius Dahl.

2018
co-creator and performer

Magie nouvelle piece produced by Rapid Eye.

Opens in Denmark in February 2018. Afterwards touring Denmark, Sweden, Finland.

Three Nordic Magicians in a tribute to human playing.

”Lege bør man ellers dør man” -"Play one should or die one would"- old Swedish proverb.
The new cross-Nordic magic project THE GREAT PARADOX OF PLAY examines the purposeless, though existential human play- through magic as an interactive and open arts form that is capable of building bridges and creating closeness among humans.  The idea is based on historian Huizinga´s theory on play as foundation for humanity (1938).

THE GREAT PARADOX OF PLAY is a ’magie nouvelle’ performance, and takes as its starting point the art of magic and the visual comedy. In this rather new genre, classical magic is being dismantled to be reassembled in a new context.
The show is inspired by the magicians´ hand technique and by baroque imagery; this forms the base for a whimsical choreography and visuality. Rooted in Huizinga´s theory on play, by means of Nordic magic as choreographic language and the visual mystic of the Baroque age a suspenseful atmosphere emerges.
THE GREAT PARADOX OF PLAY wants to surprise, to inspire and to give room for thoughts through magic as mutual language.

Performers:
Axel Adlercreutz
David Tholander
Robert Jägerhorn
Live-musik: Sture Ericson
Instruktion: Samuel Gustavsson
Scenografi/kostumer: Signe Beckmann
Producent: Nina Koldby

For more info: www.rapideye.dk

2016
co-creator and performer

Physical theatre piece by The Krumple

"A masterclass in physical storytelling” 
- The Scotsman, Edinburgh 2016

Combining dance, magic, poetry and utter stupidity, YOKAI tells a contemporary tale of our attempts to find hope in moments of despair.

In a desolate space, probably in the middle of nowhere, stands a group of curious looking creatures. With miniature trees and paper seagulls in their pockets they begin to orchestrate the world as they see it. A premeditated car accident, a ravenous cod and a dreadful christmas eve are part of the mess created by the yokai.

The stage is like a magic box. It starts empty, while boxes, figurines and visual surprises continually pop up to fill the space like a fire works of colors, dynamic movement and humor - which brings a feeling of everything (still) being possible.

YOKAI is created by the international theatre compay The Krumple. The company consists of members from France, Germany, Norway, Denmark and United States; all graduates of l'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, Paris. YOKAI was developed through two residecies at Théâtre de la Noue in Paris and at Espace du Moulin de l'Étang in Billom. With the piece the company has developed it's physical visual style. The stage language mixes objectmanipulation, dance, magic and physical theatre to create a language that is both grotesque and poetic, tragic and humorous. The style is a result of the overarching vision of hte company to create a language without borders through the expression of the human body.

“The piece turns into a fantastic kind of study of life and death and grief and recovery and hope and chaos. It’s a wonderful atmospheric piece of non-verbal theatre" 
- ABC, Australian National Radio, 2016

YOKAI is 1st prize winner of Plateaux du Groupe Geste(s) 2016, Paris. A jury of 15 teater directors chose YOKAI as the most innovative and promising physical theatre piece of the year. Since then it has played in Germany, Scotland, Norway and France. In september 2017 it plays one month in New York. In Feb./Mar. 2018 it will tour Denmark - as part of the Danish collaboration Turnénetværket.

Creators and performers, The Krumple
Jo Even Bjørke, Norway
Vanessa Mecke, Germany
Oda Kirkebø Nyfløtt, Norway
Léna Rondé, France
David Tholander, Denmark
Vincent Vernerie, France

Light design
Houcine Pradinaud, France
 

More info about YOKAI and The Krumple:
thekrumple.com

Photographer

James Coote

Renaud Ducoing

2015
co-creator and performer

What is the sound of a vanishing coin? What tone has a floating glass? How is the complaint of a ball transforming to milk? -and is it softer than the complaint of a transformation to water?

Pigeon Superstition is an interdisciplinary exploration of magic in relation to sound and movement created in collaboration with sound artist Christian Skjødt. The work is a development project with B.F. Skinner’s article ‘Superstition’ in the pigeon (1947) as artistic point of departure; a scientific thesis on the formation of superstition in pigeons.

Using technogies and new medi Pigeon Superstition investigates how the experience is altered, when one can not only see but also hear a visual illusion. With tools such as camera tracking, accelerometers, contact microphones, and electric conduction to create or amplify the sound of movement and proximity.  In this way investigating of how visual impressions quite directly can be translated into an auditory expression, and hereby allowing the creation of not only optical, but also auditive illusions generated in real time in front of an audience in a shared space. The auditive and optical illusions play with the limits of our five senses.

In the first work period the above exploration was combined with field studies of doves, their movements and sounds, which then were integrated in the expression and output. The development periode concluded by two work-in-progress presentations at Dansehallerne, Copenhagen, November 2015.

The exploration continues.

For more info visit www.pigeonsuperstition.org

2015
co-creator and performer

Tricks of the eye, sleight of hand and modern legerdemain

Suite 507 is a close-up magic show created in collaboration with magician and actor Morten Deurell. 

The show was originally created for and presented in suite 507 at the iconic and old Copenhagen hotel Copenhagen Plaza. At the time the audience size was limited to 20 guests per performance. In 2017 and 2018 the show was revived at Teatret ved Sorte Hest on Vesterbro, Copenhagen, with capacity for a larger audience, but still with limited access, so the tricks, magic and sleight of hand feats were experienced up close.

Somersaults that seems impossible, box with surprises and a floating walnut, are some of the elements in the trick tableaus of the suite - all design with the same goal in mind; to make heads spin.

“While eyes and ears follow the magician’s rapid fingers, heart and mind get hit by astonishment and wonder - again and again. (…) The art of dexterity is a rare art. To find and experience. But it’s even more rare to meet magic talent with that nimble paws and quick replies.”

- excerpt of review by Kulturtid, 10.08.18. Full review: http://kulturtid.dk/teater/suite-507/

2014
Creator and performer

KuriositetR is a personal and artistic experiment and investigation of magic and clowning; a creative challenge and a frame for creative work. Making 100 videos of magic creations during 100 days. One video each day, making every day count. 

Part of the objective was to empty the sleeves for tricks to see what would show up in the empty space. Furthermore, it was to explore different ways of presenting magic via the medium of video, to investigate how magic, which normally performs best when experienced live in real life without any interlayers, could come to work on a screen.

The videos were created on the basis of a range of initially set obstructions, such as:

- no digital alternations allowed, neither visually or auditory

- no talking

- must make one video each day

- must bring something new and original to every video

- the videos must be as short as possible

To see the full project visit kuriositetr.tumblr.com - or see examples to the right.

2012
co-creator, lecturer and performer

What happens in the mind of the spectator watching a performance of a magic feat? 

Trylologi [Magicology] is a lecture about magic, psychology, and human perception. Created and presented in collaboration with psychologist Frederikke Larcheveaut Tholander. The lecture is based on science, optical illusions, and live magic demonstrations. Trylologi evolved during a longer period. It was presented for the first time in January 2012, and since it has been under constant development. The content relates to topics such as learning, communication, humor, design, innovation and technology.

The lecture is about us - all of us - and our brains. The magic is a mean to talk about and illustrate the fascinating aspects about us and our brains, our perception and human psychology. 

For more information visit  www.trylologi.dk  

Photographer [uppermost]

Kasper Hemme

Live photo from presentation at Artefact 2017: The Act of Magic, art exhibition and festival, STUK Kunstencentrum - House for Dance, Image & Sound, Leuven, Belgium. Feb. 2017

© Joeri Thiry / STUK - House for Dance, Image & Sound

2011
co-creator and performer

A poetic image storm about losing everything  and rediscover it where one least expects it... A theatre bastard about the fragility of the identity and a tribute to the game that makes life worth living.
-Teater Nordkraft

I overmorgen bliver jeg en anden [The day after tomorrow I will become somebody else] is a theatre piece inspired by the life and works of Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa. A creation in the realm of theatre and performance constituted by a collaboration of different independent art forms; magic, music, modern dance, theatre, video- and space installation.

Fernando Pessoa lived and wrote in the first part of the 20th century. A distinctive feature of Fernando Pessoa is that he wrote under a wide range of different identities - using very different linguistics. In Portuguese pessoa means person. The word is derived from Latin, where it means mask. In I overmorgen bliver jeg en anden the story of the modern man's quest to understand himself was told by the different voices of the different art forms of music, dance, performance, acting, magic, video- and space installations. 

Creators and performers
Morten Burian, actor
Sandro Masai, dancer
Christian Skjødt, composer and sound artist
David Tholander, magician

Director Mikkel Flyvholm

Scenographer Lisbeth Burian

Production Teater Nordkraft, Aalborg

The project is realized with support from The Danish Arts Council.

Photographer 

Mathies Brinkmann Jespersen 

For further photos from the performance click here 

For further photos from the work process click here and here

2010-
co-creator and performer

AbraMakabra is a project created with magician/freak-artist Kim Andersen consisting of short form acts and performances presented in theaters and different types of events.

AbraMakabra is a great place - no limits exist and anything may happen.

Photographer

Kasper Hemme

2008-2011
co-creator and performer

Kaninfabrikken [The Rabbit Factory] is a series of shows originally presented at Transformator - an experimental stage associated to Aalborg Teater. Here Kaninfabrikken has presented three different editions in the period from 2008 to 2011. Besides these spectacles Kaninfabrikken has been presented in different constellations at a variety of events.

Kaninfabrikken is created in collaboration with magician René Jensen and dj/musician Thomas Winther Andersen aka DJ TWA. This trio has developed the concept and are permanent performers in the project. 

In essence Kaninfabrikken is a creative playground, where performance artists from different genres meet, create and perform. So at most Kaninfabrikken presentations there are guest performers/playmates such as Danish hacky sack champions, musicians, magicians, stand-up comedians, jugglers, clowns, and one modern dancer.

Photographer

Martin Hjorth