Pleasant Island
“Interesting documentary theatre, about a part of the world that seemed almost forgotten.”
De Volkskrant, NL 17.06.19
“It’s the genius of the editing that makes ‘Pleasant Island’ a hallucinatory document with an unprecedented form, between performance and documentary.”
IO Gazette, FR 05.10.20
“Human, personal, understandable and accessible.”
El Punt Avui, SP 23.11.20
Hidden in the Pacific Ocean lies the island of Nauru, once called ‘Pleasant Island’ by European explorers. Although its size makes it one of the smallest nations in the world, its history is both large and significant. Nauru is often seen as a parable for our current world. The island was severely impacted by the effects of colonization, capitalism, migration and ecological distress of which the consequences still linger today.
After the exhaustive exploitation of its natural resources, the island was left in economic and ecologic ruins. Today Nauru is most known for hosting Australian refugee detention centres in return for a large amount of Australian money. This sparked the government of Nauru to ban most journalists and researchers from entering the island in an effort to keep negative news from reaching the outside world. Meanwhile, the island risks being swallowed by the ocean as a result of the rising sea level.
Silke and Hannes were exceptionally allowed to visit the island for a couple of weeks in the summer of 2018. In this post-apocalyptic setting they try to understand the historical, ecological and humanitarian exhaustion of the island, and by extension of our entire planet. In ‘Pleasant Island’ Silke and Hannes use their personal smartphones to navigate the spectator through audio and images from their research on Nauru. How to encounter the limitations of a world that is intent on endless growth? What idea of the future is left on Nauru and the rest of the world?
By & with: Silke Huysmans & Hannes Dereere
Dramaturgical advice: Dries Douibi
Sound mixing: Lieven Dousselaere
Production: Campo
Coproduction: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Spielart Festival, De Brakke Grond, Spring Festival, Kwp Pianofabriek, Veem House for Performance, Kaap
With the support of: VGC
Residencies: Beursschouwburg, Kaap, Buda, LOD, Stuk, De Grote Post, De Brakke Grond, Kwp Pianofabriek, Veem House for Performance
Thanks to: all conversation partners
UPCOMING DATES:
→ 2021
23.08 | Ljubljana, SI Mladi Levi
24.08 | Ljubljana, SI Mladi Levi
27.08 | Den Bosch, NL Verkadefabriek
28.08 | Den Bosch, NL Verkadefabriek
29.08 | Den Bosch, NL Verkadefabriek
15.10 | Bremen, DE Schwankhalle
16.10 | Bremen, DE Schwankhalle
21.10 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines
22.10 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines
23.10 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines
29.10 | Chur, CH Theater Chur
30.10 | Chur, CH Theater Chur
06.11 | Leipzig, DE Euro-scene
07.11 | Leipzig, DE Euro-scene
→ 2022
22.02 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre
23.02 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre
PAST DATES:
→ 2021
15.06 | Recklinghausen, DE Rurhfestspiele *
14.06 | Recklinghausen, DE Rurhfestspiele *
13.06 | Recklinghausen, DE Rurhfestspiele *
04.06 | Hasselt, BE CCHA *
28.05 | Chur, CH Theater Chur
07.05 | Bern, CH Auawawirleben
06.05 | Bern, CH Auawawirleben
05.05 | Bern, CH Auawawirleben
23.04 | Antwerp, BE Het Paleis *
22.04 | Leuven, BE 30CC *
27.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
26.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
25.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
20.03 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines *
19.03 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines *
18.03 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines *
23.02 | Bruges, BE CC Brugge & Kaap *
06.02 | Zaventem, BE CC De Factorij *
03.02 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre *
02.02 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre *
→ 2020
05.12 | Brussels, BE Beursschouwburg *
04.12 | Brussels, BE Beursschouwburg *
28.11 | Beveren, BE CC Ter Vesten *
21.11 | Antwerp, BE Het Paleis *
20.11 | Meulebeke, BE OC Vondel *
17.11 | Salzburg, AT Arge Kultur *
16.11 | Salzburg, AT Arge Kultur *
08.11 | Girona, SP Festival Temporada Alta *
23.10 | Pelt, BE Oortreders Festival *
17.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
16.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
15.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
14.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
13.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
11.10 | Cambridge, UK Cambridge Junction *
09.10 | Brighton, UK ACCA *
08.10 | London, UK Artsadmin *
07.10 | Lugano, CH FIT Festival
06.10 | Manchester, UK Contact Theatre *
26.09 | Marseille, FR Actoral
25.09 | Marseille, FR Actoral
07.09 | Geneva, CH La Bâtie
06.09 | Geneva, CH La Bâtie
17.08 | Zurich, CH Zürcher Theater Spektakel *
16.08 | Zurich, CH Zürcher Theater Spektakel *
15.08 | Zurich, CH Zürcher Theater Spektakel *
12.07 | Hannover, DE Festival Theaterformen *
11.07 | Hannover, DE Festival Theaterformen *
26.06 | Fribourg, CH Festival Belluard Bollwerk *
27.05 | Freiburg, DE Freiburg Festival *
26.05 | Freiburg, DE Freiburg Festival *
13.05 | Bern, CH Auawirleben *
12.05 | Bern, CH Auawirleben *
30.04 | Waregem, BE CC De Schakel *
23.04 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre *
22.04 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre *
03.04 | Milano, IT Zona K *
02.04 | Milano, IT Zona K *
25.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
24.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
21.03 | Cergy-Pontoise, FR Points Communs *
20.03 | Cergy-Pontoise, FR Points Communs *
18.03 | Brussels, BE Pilar *
13.03 | Deinze, BE Leietheater *
11.03 | Antwerp, BE Arenbergschouwburg
06.03 | Tokyo, JP Theatre Commons
05.03 | Tokyo, JP Theatre Commons
07.02 | Trondheim, NO Rosendal Teater
06.02 | Trondheim, NO Rosendal Teater
11.01 | Vienna, AT Tanzquartier Wien
10.01 | Vienna, AT Tanzquartier Wien
→ 2019
29.11 | Prague, CZ Akcent Festival
22.11 | Mechelen, BE Nona
31.10 | Essen, DE Pact Zollverein
29.10 | Munich, DE Spielart
28.10 | Munich, DE Spielart
26.10 | Ostend, BE De Grote Post
25.10 | Ghent, BE Campo
24.10 | Ghent, BE Campo
23.10 | Ghent, BE Campo
04.10 | Cartaxo, PT Materiais Diversos
25.09 | Amsterdam, NL De Brakke Grond
24.09 | Amsterdam, NL De Brakke Grond
08.08 | Ostend, BE Theater Aan Zee
07.08 | Ostend, BE Theater Aan Zee
27.06 | Lille, FR Latitudes Contemporaines
21.05 |Utrecht, NL Spring Festival
20.05 | Utrecht, NL Spring Festival
13.05 | Brussels, BE Kunstenfestivaldesarts
12.05 | Brussels, BE Kunstenfestivaldesarts
11.05 | Brussels, BE Kunstenfestivaldesarts
10.05 | Brussels, BE Kunstenfestivaldesarts
* cancelled / postponed due to covid-19
Pleasant Island
“Interesting documentary theatre, about a part of the world that seemed almost forgotten.”
De Volkskrant, NL 17.06.19
“It’s the genius of the editing that makes ‘Pleasant Island’ a hallucinatory document with an unprecedented form, between performance and documentary.”
IO Gazette, FR 05.10.20
“Human, personal, understandable and accessible.”
El Punt Avui, SP 23.11.20
Hidden in the Pacific Ocean lies the island of Nauru, once called ‘Pleasant Island’ by European explorers. Although its size makes it one of the smallest nations in the world, its history is both large and significant. Nauru is often seen as a parable for our current world. The island was severely impacted by the effects of colonization, capitalism, migration and ecological distress of which the consequences still linger today.
After the exhaustive exploitation of its natural resources, the island was left in economic and ecologic ruins. Today Nauru is most known for hosting Australian refugee detention centres in return for a large amount of Australian money. This sparked the government of Nauru to ban most journalists and researchers from entering the island in an effort to keep negative news from reaching the outside world. Meanwhile, the island risks being swallowed by the ocean as a result of the rising sea level.
Silke and Hannes were exceptionally allowed to visit the island for a couple of weeks in the summer of 2018. In this post-apocalyptic setting they try to understand the historical, ecological and humanitarian exhaustion of the island, and by extension of our entire planet. In ‘Pleasant Island’ Silke and Hannes use their personal smartphones to navigate the spectator through audio and images from their research on Nauru. How to encounter the limitations of a world that is intent on endless growth? What idea of the future is left on Nauru and the rest of the world?
By & with: Silke Huysmans & Hannes Dereere
Dramaturgical advice: Dries Douibi
Sound mixing: Lieven Dousselaere
Production: Campo
Coproduction: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Spielart Festival, De Brakke Grond, Spring Festival, Kwp Pianofabriek, Veem House for Performance, Kaap
With the support of: VGC
Residencies: Beursschouwburg, Kaap, Buda, LOD, Stuk, De Grote Post, De Brakke Grond, Kwp Pianofabriek, Veem House for Performance
Thanks to: all conversation partners
UPCOMING DATES:
→ 2021
23.08 | Ljubljana, SI Mladi Levi
24.08 | Ljubljana, SI Mladi Levi
27.08 | Den Bosch, NL Verkadefabriek
28.08 | Den Bosch, NL Verkadefabriek
29.08 | Den Bosch, NL Verkadefabriek
15.10 | Bremen, DE Schwankhalle
16.10 | Bremen, DE Schwankhalle
21.10 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines
22.10 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines
23.10 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines
29.10 | Chur, CH Theater Chur
30.10 | Chur, CH Theater Chur
06.11 | Leipzig, DE Euro-scene
07.11 | Leipzig, DE Euro-scene
→ 2022
22.02 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre
23.02 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre
PAST DATES:
→ 2021
15.06 | Recklinghausen, DE Rurhfestspiele *
14.06 | Recklinghausen, DE Rurhfestspiele *
13.06 | Recklinghausen, DE Rurhfestspiele *
04.06 | Hasselt, BE CCHA *
28.05 | Chur, CH Theater Chur
07.05 | Bern, CH Auawawirleben
06.05 | Bern, CH Auawawirleben
05.05 | Bern, CH Auawawirleben
23.04 | Antwerp, BE Het Paleis *
22.04 | Leuven, BE 30CC *
27.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
26.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
25.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
20.03 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines *
19.03 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines *
18.03 | Brussels, BE Les Brigittines *
23.02 | Bruges, BE CC Brugge & Kaap *
06.02 | Zaventem, BE CC De Factorij *
03.02 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre *
02.02 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre *
→ 2020
05.12 | Brussels, BE Beursschouwburg *
04.12 | Brussels, BE Beursschouwburg *
28.11 | Beveren, BE CC Ter Vesten *
21.11 | Antwerp, BE Het Paleis *
20.11 | Meulebeke, BE OC Vondel *
17.11 | Salzburg, AT Arge Kultur *
16.11 | Salzburg, AT Arge Kultur *
08.11 | Girona, SP Festival Temporada Alta *
23.10 | Pelt, BE Oortreders Festival *
17.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
16.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
15.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
14.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
13.10 | Paris, FR Festival d'Automne
11.10 | Cambridge, UK Cambridge Junction *
09.10 | Brighton, UK ACCA *
08.10 | London, UK Artsadmin *
07.10 | Lugano, CH FIT Festival
06.10 | Manchester, UK Contact Theatre *
26.09 | Marseille, FR Actoral
25.09 | Marseille, FR Actoral
07.09 | Geneva, CH La Bâtie
06.09 | Geneva, CH La Bâtie
17.08 | Zurich, CH Zürcher Theater Spektakel *
16.08 | Zurich, CH Zürcher Theater Spektakel *
15.08 | Zurich, CH Zürcher Theater Spektakel *
12.07 | Hannover, DE Festival Theaterformen *
11.07 | Hannover, DE Festival Theaterformen *
26.06 | Fribourg, CH Festival Belluard Bollwerk *
27.05 | Freiburg, DE Freiburg Festival *
26.05 | Freiburg, DE Freiburg Festival *
13.05 | Bern, CH Auawirleben *
12.05 | Bern, CH Auawirleben *
30.04 | Waregem, BE CC De Schakel *
23.04 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre *
22.04 | Coventry, UK Warwick Arts Centre *
03.04 | Milano, IT Zona K *
02.04 | Milano, IT Zona K *
25.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
24.03 | Den Bosch, NL Festival Cement *
21.03 | Cergy-Pontoise, FR Points Communs *
20.03 | Cergy-Pontoise, FR Points Communs *
18.03 | Brussels, BE Pilar *
13.03 | Deinze, BE Leietheater *
11.03 | Antwerp, BE Arenbergschouwburg
06.03 | Tokyo, JP Theatre Commons
05.03 | Tokyo, JP Theatre Commons
07.02 | Trondheim, NO Rosendal Teater
06.02 | Trondheim, NO Rosendal Teater
11.01 | Vienna, AT Tanzquartier Wien
10.01 | Vienna, AT Tanzquartier Wien
→ 2019
29.11 | Prague, CZ Akcent Festival
22.11 | Mechelen, BE Nona
31.10 | Essen, DE Pact Zollverein
29.10 | Munich, DE Spielart
28.10 | Munich, DE Spielart
26.10 | Ostend, BE De Grote Post
25.10 | Ghent, BE Campo
24.10 | Ghent, BE Campo
23.10 | Ghent, BE Campo
04.10 | Cartaxo, PT Materiais Diversos
25.09 | Amsterdam, NL De Brakke Grond
24.09 | Amsterdam, NL De Brakke Grond
08.08 | Ostend, BE Theater Aan Zee
07.08 | Ostend, BE Theater Aan Zee
27.06 | Lille, FR Latitudes Contemporaines
21.05 |Utrecht, NL Spring Festival
20.05 | Utrecht, NL Spring Festival
13.05 | Brussels, BE Kunstenfestivaldesarts
12.05 | Brussels, BE Kunstenfestivaldesarts
11.05 | Brussels, BE Kunstenfestivaldesarts
10.05 | Brussels, BE Kunstenfestivaldesarts
* cancelled / postponed due to covid-19