He disguises himself as a servant or acts like a master, he is Beelzebub and an angel all rolled into one. This performative farce pays tribute to the harlequin, showing him the recognition he deserves. The fool, who is mentioned in the Italian Commedia dell’arte from the 16th century, has travelled all the way to the present day to be reinterpreted by dancer Thibault Lac and musician Tobias Koch. In the process, diabolical dance and haunting sounds play with the technologies of the spectacle, which currently latch on to every aspect of life, cloud the mind and elevate vain, pompous jerks into heroes. Today’s playground of drive satisfaction, personified as a harlequin, looks just like in Fool’s Gold. In transforming traditional theatre conventions, Lac and Koch remind us that the fool’s crude speech can become the gold of truth.
A piece by Tobias Koch and Thibault Lac created with Stephen Thompson
Lighting design: Alice Panziera
Costumes: Cosima & Christa
Technical assistance: Thibault Villard
Photography: Jelena Luise
Co-production: ROXY Birsfelden (CH), Tanzhaus Zürich (CH), Gessnerallee Zürich (CH) and Südpol Luzern (CH)
Funded by Fachausschuss Tanz & Theater BS/BL (CH) with the support of the Cultural Fund of Société Suisse des Auteurs (SSA) (CH) and Pro Helvetia Swiss Arts Council.