FOREVER YOUNG

Monki did his coming-out as an optimist, but how to cope? In Forever Young, Benjamin Kuitenbrouwer, in co-direction with Anouke de Groot, sweeps away the last doubts. After all, we were once born as optimists, with childlike innocence and questioning eyes. When did it start to go wrong? When it was pointed out ‘see how the world really works’ and suggested ‘love has to be earned’ and when warned ‘be alert!!!’ Monki says ‘No! Things must change’.

Can you still be genuinely indignant without being told how complex the world is? Swinging on the Chinese pole and playing around the trapeze, acrobats Hanna de Vletter and Majo Cázares willfully shake off maturity. The performance is a physical narrative about the core of our humanity, about permitted dreaming of alternatives. And about the willpower of each new generation, sometimes foolhardy but always vital.  Upbeat, and with catchy energy, optimism takes on more and more weight in this short circus performance.

Forever Young is the latest performance in a series on the theme of optimism by Monki, this time directed by Benjamin Kuitenbrouwer, house maker of TENT from 2021-2024 and Anouke de Groot. Other performances in the series include 60% Banana: a cheery message to angry citizens (2022). In the form of an acrobatic lecture and party with the audience, he demonstrates that the world is a better place than we think. In part two, Nothing New. About my coming-out as an optimist (2023), he is outing as an optimist, which turns out to be a task full of doubts and pitfalls. In this intimate and physical performance with theatre, live music and circus, the moodswings start to take over.

“Circus theater makers Benjamin Kuitenbrouwer and Anouke de Groot quietly build their direction from an exploration of the skies, through cleverly timed descents to a daring, collaborative hang act in the heights.” de Volkskrant

“Soon they are clambering over each other, or Cázares is swinging on an arm of her powerful companion from pole to pole. Slowly, as if gravity has no grip on them, they loosen their legs and seem able to float horizontally. Little by little, we are given food for thought fed through a megaphone: for example, you can hear the pre-recorded De Vletter reflecting on her fear of falling as she hangs from the top of the trapeze; a little is necessary to remain cautious, too much would keep her from even getting started.” Theaterkrant

TRAILER • OUR MAKER VIDEO PORTRAIT • PRESS RELEASE (IN DUTCH)

CREDITS PLAY Majo Cázares • Hanna de Vletter CONCEPT Benjamin Kuitenbrouwer DIRECTION Benjamin Kuitenbrouwer • Anouke de Groot DRAMATURGY Bas van Rijnsoever MUSIC Niels Vermeulen PROJECT LEADER Hanneke Meijers • Cahit Metin TECHNICAL SUPPORT Douwe Hibma • Joppe Wouters PRODUCER TENT • Monki PRODUCTION Veerle van Lieshout • TENT RESIDENCYS Latitude 50 • Werkplaats Diepenheim SUPPORTED BY Performing Arts Fund NL • Amsterdam Fund for the Art THANKS TO Heimland • Quartiers d’O • Kaapstad Festival • Bosfest • Cultura Nova

OUR MAKER
Benjamin Kuitenbrouwer

OUR MAKERS COURSE
Maker for four years