Battlefield of Dreams
Confronting and moving experience about procreation and creation power
Theater Utrecht, Floor Houwink ten Cate (NL)
Whether you are dealing with this subject in your twenties, thirties or forties, or look back on it later in life, this question affects us all: what does it mean to want or have a child – or not? This is an issue that goes beyond just a personal consideration and involves diverse emotions and ethical dilemmas. Battlefield of Dreams is about (un)desired childlessness, fertility processes and abortions, about new forms of parenthood and reproductive justice.
“These stories are present everywhere, but we hardly talk about them. In this performance, we show the often invisible and unheard stories that we carry within ourselves all of our lives, with a large group of performers, musicians and experts. It is an attempt to open up the conversation, to understand each other better and defend the right to self-determination – especially now that it is once again threatened.” – Floor Houwink ten Cate
Battlefield of Dreams is a unique fusion of physical theatre, intimate documentary, live music and a talk show with doctors and scientists in which fiction and reality intermingle. Through the eyes of women, men and (gender)queers, Battlefield of Dreams is a confrontational and moving experience about reproduction and the power of creation, and at the same time dissects the extent to which we are the creators of our own lives.
Concept, Directing, Documentary/Libretto: Floor Houwink ten Cate, Cast: Suzan Boogaerdt, Princess Isatu Hassan Bangura, Nastaran Razawi Khorasani, Lisa Verbelen, Live Music: Annelinde Bruijs & KARA, Music: Jessie Lee (percussie), Celeste Mercedes Engel/Wies Pijnenburg (viool), Nia Ralinova (cello), Expert: dr. Bahareh Goodarzi e.a., documentary: Nina van den Berg, Marlies Heuer, Joep Hufman, Petra van der Meulen, Rachelle Mol, Nina Gallardo Schipper, Joris Smit, Quirine Tordoir, Joy Wielkens, Storm Vogel, Otto Calmeijer Meijburg, composer, libretto: Annelinde Bruijs, music director: Celeste Mercedes Engel (KARA Music), movement director: Suzan Boogaerdt, scenography: Studio Dennis Vanderbroeck, light- and video-design: Sander Loonen, costume design: Rebekka Wörmann, assistent costume design: Jelena Bondt, sound design: Jeroen Hoekstra, dramaturgy: Renée Copraij, research: Brecht de Backer, directing assistent (internship): Pip Greenaway, D.O.P., light, sound (documentary): Niels van Koevorden, camera assistent (documentary): Niels Lokhorst, Max van de Pol, set (documentary): Hanna van der Haar, Montage (documentary): Lot Rossmark, Rens Christiaansen, programmer: De Balie & Theater Utrecht, co-producer: Boogaerdt/VanderSchoot, with thanks to: Frascati Producties, Marije Ligthart en Machteld Vinkenborg (Brainwash Festival), Charlie Chan Dagelet, Serin Utlu, Ayla Çekin Satijn, Varja Klosse, Evgenia Brendes, Lola Smit, Abke Haring, Berthe Spoelstra, Akelei Loos, supported by: Fonds 21, VSB Fonds, Stichting Melanie en Helmut D. Lethe jr.
