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: De Brakke Grond, KAAP, Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Kwp Pianofabriek, Spielart Festival, Spring Festival, Veem House for Performance
With the support of: VGC
Residencies: Beursschouwburg, Buda, De Brakke Grond, De Grote Post, Kaap, Kwp Pianofabriek, LOD, Stuk, Veem House for Performance
Thanks to: all conversation partners
ESSAY
Moving Image Review & Art Journal, 22.05.2022
REVIEW
Kriterij, Slovenia, 29.08.2021
REVIEW
Kriterij, Slovenia, 26.08.2021
REVIEW
Theater Commons Tokyo, Japan, 03.03.2021
INTERVIEW
Radio 1, Belgium 02.02.2021
REVIEW
El Punt Avui, Spain 23.11.2020
INTERVIEW
El Punt Avui, Spain 17.11.2020
INTERVIEW
Diari de Girona, Spain 14.11.2020
UPCOMING DATES:
→ 2023
10.05 | Beykoz Kundura, Istanbul (TR)
02.08 | Esplanade, Singapore (SG)
03.08 | Esplanade, Singapore (SG)
More dates to be announced
PAST DATES:
→ 2022
23.11 | KAAP/ CC Brugge (BE)
08.10 | GC Felix Sohie, Hoeilaart (BE)
06.10 | Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn (DE)
29.09 | Monty, Antwerp (BE)
30.05 | Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE)
29.05 | Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE)
23.04 | 30CC, Leuven (BE)
23.02 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK)
22.02 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK)
03.02 | Het Paleis, Antwerp (BE)
→ 2021
10.11 | Schaubude, Berlin (DE)
09.11 | Schaubude, Berlin (DE)
07.11 | Euro-scene, Leipzig (DE)
06.11 | Euro-scene, Leipzig (DE)
28.10 | Theater Chur, Chur (CH)
23.10 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
22.10 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
21.10 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
15.10 | Schwankhalle, Bremen (DE)
29.08 | Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch (NL)
28.08 | Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch (NL)
27.08 | Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch (NL)
23.08 | Mladi Levi, Ljubljana (SI)
22.08 | Mladi Levi, Ljubljana (SI)
15.06 | Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE) *
14.06 | Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE) *
13.06 | Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE) *
04.06 | CCHA, Hasselt (BE) *
28.05 | Theater Chur, Chur (CH)
07.05 | Auawawirleben, Bern (CH)
06.05 | Auawawirleben, Bern (CH)
05.05 | Auawawirleben, Bern (CH)
23.04 | Het Paleis, Antwerp (BE) *
22.04 | 30CC, Lueven (BE) *
27.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
26.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
25.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
20.03 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE) *
19.03 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE) *
18.03 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE) *
23.02 | CC Brugge & Kaap, Bruges (BE) *
06.02 | CC De Factorij, Zaventem (BE) *
03.02 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
02.02 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
→ 2020
05.12 | Beursschouwburg, Brussels (BE) *
04.12 | Beursschouwburg, Brussels (BE) *
28.11 | CC Ter Vesten, Beveren (BE) *
21.11 | Het Paleis, Antwerp (BE) *
20.11 | OC Vondel, Meulebeke (BE) *
17.11 | Arge Kultur, Salzburg (AT) *
16.11 | Arge Kultur, Salzburg (AT) *
08.11 | Festival Temporada Alta, Girona (SP) *
23.10 | Oortreders Festival, Pelt (BE) *
17.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
16.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
15.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
14.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
13.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
11.10 | Cambridge Junction, Cambridge (UK) *
09.10 | ACCA, Brighton (UK) *
08.10 | Artsadmin, London (UK) *
07.10 | FIT Festival, Lugano (CH)
06.10 | Contact Theatre, Manchester (UK) *
26.09 | Actoral, Marseille (FR)
25.09 | Actoral, Marseille (FR)
07.09 | La Bâtie, Geneva (CH)
06.09 | La Bâtie, Geneva (CH)
17.08 | Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zurich (CH) *
16.08 | Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zurich (CH) *
15.08 | Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zurich (CH) *
12.07 | Festival Theaterformen, Hannover (DE) *
11.07 | Festival Theaterformen, Hannover (DE) *
26.06 | Festival Belluard Bollwerk, Fribourg (CH) *
27.05 | Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE) *
26.05 | Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE) *
13.05 | Auawirleben, Bern (CH) *
12.05 | Auawirleben, Bern (CH) *
30.04 | CC De Schakel, Waregem (BE) *
23.04 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
22.04 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
03.04 | Zona K, Milano (IT) *
02.04 | Zona K, Milano (IT) *
25.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
24.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
21.03 | Points Communs, Cergy-Pontoise (FR) *
20.03 | Points Communs, Cergy-Pontoise (FR) *
18.03 | Pilar, Brussels (BE) *
13.03 | Leietheater, Deinze (BE) *
11.03 | Arenbergschouwburg, Antwerp (BE)
06.03 | Theatre Commons, Tokyo (JP)
05.03 | Theatre Commons, Tokyo (JP)
07.02 | Rosendal Teater, Trondheim (NO)
06.02 | Rosendal Teater, Trondheim (NO)
11.01 | Tanzquartier Wien, Vienna (AT)
10.01 | Tanzquartier Wien, Vienna (AT)
→ 2019
29.11 | Akcent Festival, Prague (CZ)
22.11 | Nona, Mechelen (BE)
31.10 | Pact Zollverein, Essen (DE)
29.10 | Spielart, Munich (DE)
28.10 | Spielart, Munich (DE)
26.10 | De Grote Post, Ostend (BE)
25.10 | Campo, Ghent (BE)
24.10 | Campo, Ghent (BE)
23.10 | Campo, Ghent (BE)
04.10 | Materiais Diversos, Cartaxo (PT)
25.09 | De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
24.09 | De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
08.08 | Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
08.08 | Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
07.08 | Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
27.06 | Latitudes Contemporaines, Lille (FR)
21.05 | Spring Festival, Utrecht (NL)
20.05 | Spring Festival, Utrecht (NL)
13.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
12.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
12.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
11.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
10.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
* 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: De Brakke Grond, KAAP, Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Kwp Pianofabriek, Spielart Festival, Spring Festival, Veem House for Performance
With the support of: VGC
Residencies: Beursschouwburg, Buda, De Brakke Grond, De Grote Post, Kaap, Kwp Pianofabriek, LOD, Stuk, Veem House for Performance
Thanks to: all conversation partners
ESSAY
Moving Image Review & Art Journal, 22.05.2022
REVIEW
Kriterij, Slovenia, 29.08.2021
REVIEW
Kriterij, Slovenia, 26.08.2021
REVIEW
Theater Commons Tokyo, Japan, 03.03.2021
INTERVIEW
Radio 1, Belgium 02.02.2021
REVIEW
El Punt Avui, Spain 23.11.2020
INTERVIEW
El Punt Avui, Spain 17.11.2020
INTERVIEW
Diari de Girona, Spain 14.11.2020
UPCOMING DATES:
→ 2023
10.05 | Beykoz Kundura, Istanbul (TR)
02.08 | Esplanade, Singapore (SG)
03.08 | Esplanade, Singapore (SG)
More dates to be announced
PAST DATES:
→ 2022
23.11 | KAAP/ CC Brugge (BE)
08.10 | GC Felix Sohie, Hoeilaart (BE)
06.10 | Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn (DE)
29.09 | Monty, Antwerp (BE)
30.05 | Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE)
29.05 | Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE)
23.04 | 30CC, Leuven (BE)
23.02 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK)
22.02 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK)
03.02 | Het Paleis, Antwerp (BE)
→ 2021
10.11 | Schaubude, Berlin (DE)
09.11 | Schaubude, Berlin (DE)
07.11 | Euro-scene, Leipzig (DE)
06.11 | Euro-scene, Leipzig (DE)
28.10 | Theater Chur, Chur (CH)
23.10 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
22.10 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
21.10 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
15.10 | Schwankhalle, Bremen (DE)
29.08 | Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch (NL)
28.08 | Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch (NL)
27.08 | Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch (NL)
23.08 | Mladi Levi, Ljubljana (SI)
22.08 | Mladi Levi, Ljubljana (SI)
15.06 | Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE) *
14.06 | Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE) *
13.06 | Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE) *
04.06 | CCHA, Hasselt (BE) *
28.05 | Theater Chur, Chur (CH)
07.05 | Auawawirleben, Bern (CH)
06.05 | Auawawirleben, Bern (CH)
05.05 | Auawawirleben, Bern (CH)
23.04 | Het Paleis, Antwerp (BE) *
22.04 | 30CC, Lueven (BE) *
27.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
26.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
25.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
20.03 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE) *
19.03 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE) *
18.03 | Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE) *
23.02 | CC Brugge & Kaap, Bruges (BE) *
06.02 | CC De Factorij, Zaventem (BE) *
03.02 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
02.02 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
→ 2020
05.12 | Beursschouwburg, Brussels (BE) *
04.12 | Beursschouwburg, Brussels (BE) *
28.11 | CC Ter Vesten, Beveren (BE) *
21.11 | Het Paleis, Antwerp (BE) *
20.11 | OC Vondel, Meulebeke (BE) *
17.11 | Arge Kultur, Salzburg (AT) *
16.11 | Arge Kultur, Salzburg (AT) *
08.11 | Festival Temporada Alta, Girona (SP) *
23.10 | Oortreders Festival, Pelt (BE) *
17.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
16.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
15.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
14.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
13.10 | Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
11.10 | Cambridge Junction, Cambridge (UK) *
09.10 | ACCA, Brighton (UK) *
08.10 | Artsadmin, London (UK) *
07.10 | FIT Festival, Lugano (CH)
06.10 | Contact Theatre, Manchester (UK) *
26.09 | Actoral, Marseille (FR)
25.09 | Actoral, Marseille (FR)
07.09 | La Bâtie, Geneva (CH)
06.09 | La Bâtie, Geneva (CH)
17.08 | Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zurich (CH) *
16.08 | Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zurich (CH) *
15.08 | Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zurich (CH) *
12.07 | Festival Theaterformen, Hannover (DE) *
11.07 | Festival Theaterformen, Hannover (DE) *
26.06 | Festival Belluard Bollwerk, Fribourg (CH) *
27.05 | Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE) *
26.05 | Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE) *
13.05 | Auawirleben, Bern (CH) *
12.05 | Auawirleben, Bern (CH) *
30.04 | CC De Schakel, Waregem (BE) *
23.04 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
22.04 | Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
03.04 | Zona K, Milano (IT) *
02.04 | Zona K, Milano (IT) *
25.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
24.03 | Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
21.03 | Points Communs, Cergy-Pontoise (FR) *
20.03 | Points Communs, Cergy-Pontoise (FR) *
18.03 | Pilar, Brussels (BE) *
13.03 | Leietheater, Deinze (BE) *
11.03 | Arenbergschouwburg, Antwerp (BE)
06.03 | Theatre Commons, Tokyo (JP)
05.03 | Theatre Commons, Tokyo (JP)
07.02 | Rosendal Teater, Trondheim (NO)
06.02 | Rosendal Teater, Trondheim (NO)
11.01 | Tanzquartier Wien, Vienna (AT)
10.01 | Tanzquartier Wien, Vienna (AT)
→ 2019
29.11 | Akcent Festival, Prague (CZ)
22.11 | Nona, Mechelen (BE)
31.10 | Pact Zollverein, Essen (DE)
29.10 | Spielart, Munich (DE)
28.10 | Spielart, Munich (DE)
26.10 | De Grote Post, Ostend (BE)
25.10 | Campo, Ghent (BE)
24.10 | Campo, Ghent (BE)
23.10 | Campo, Ghent (BE)
04.10 | Materiais Diversos, Cartaxo (PT)
25.09 | De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
24.09 | De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
08.08 | Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
08.08 | Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
07.08 | Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
27.06 | Latitudes Contemporaines, Lille (FR)
21.05 | Spring Festival, Utrecht (NL)
20.05 | Spring Festival, Utrecht (NL)
13.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
12.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
12.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
11.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
10.05 | Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
* cancelled / postponed due to covid-19