De Stijle, Want… (The Netherlands) – “Hek”
Hailing from The Netherlands, De Stijle, Want… (which means ‘”the style, because…”) is a veteran arts company that has produced all manner of fleeting theatre pieces with an outrageous comedic tone. Embracing bizarre incidents and accidents at the core of their ideas, these performances can run anywhere from 20 seconds to 20 minutes, either in tents or as mobile sideshows that rove through fairgrounds, streets and outdoor performance sites. In 2009, the De Stijle, Want… company celebrated its 25th anniversary by staging a 25 hour, non-stop performance festival featuring 25 different acts for audiences in Neerpelt, Belgium. At WOMAD New Zealand 2010, they present ‘Hek’. ‘Hek’ (or barrier) is the tale of two city workers and a fence that seem permanently bonded together. Despite the obvious obstacles and difficulties this entails, the fence serves as a place to sleep, a fitness device, a musical instrument and a shelter, so the workers keep dragging it along to wherever they travel.
Website: www.sdestijlewant.nl/