Pleasant Island
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 enter the island for a couple of weeks in the summer of 2018. In this post-apocalyptic setting they try to capture 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
REVIEW
'Whats' de socors'
El Punt Avui (Spain, 23.11.2020)
INTERVIEW
'La cultura s'ha aïllat'
El Punt Avui (Spain, 17.11.2020)
INTERVIEW
'L'illa que ens alerta del futur'
Diari de Girona (Spain, 14.11.2020)
REVIEW
'Itinéraire d'une île ruinée'
IO Gazette (France, 05.10.2020)
INTERVIEW
'Sull'isola di Nauru'
Corriere Del Ticino (Switzerland, 04.10.2020)
INTERVIEW
'Nauru: du paradis au désastre'
Le Courrier (Switzerland, 01.09.2020)
REVIEW
‘Eco-critical theatre’
Asahi News (Japan, 12.09.2019)
REVIEW
‘Moet u naar Pleasant Island en/of Let us believe in the beginning of the cold season?’
De Zendelingen (Belgium, 10.07.2019)
REVIEW
‘Théâtre. À Bruxelles, les propositions engageantes du Kunstenfestivaldesarts’
Des Mots de Minuit (France, 21.05.2019)
INTERVIEW
'Interview Silke Huysmans & Hannes Dereere'
SPRING Radio (The Netherlands, 21.05.2019)
REVIEW
‘Théâtre: le Kunsten déplace ses lignes à Molenbeek. Le festival bruxellois de création contemporaine fait voyager sur l’île de Nauru et en Thaïlande.’
Le Monde (France, 13.05.2019)
REVIEW
‘Kleinste eiland van de wereld legt grootste spiegel voor’
Theaterkrant (The Netherlands, 13.05.2019)
REVIEW
‘Goed begonnen is snel ontgonnen’
De Standaard (Belgium, 13.05.2019)
REVIEW
‘Pijnpunten van migratie, gender en identiteit worden op het Kunstenfestivaldesarts prachtig verbeeld’
De Volkskrant (The Netherlands, 12.05.2019)
INTERVIEW
‘Theaterstuk 'Pleasant Island' zoomt in op Nauru, vroeger een paradijs, nu een vluchtelingenkamp’
De Morgen (Belgium, 09.05.2019)
INTERVIEW
‘Pompidou’
Klara (Belgium, 06.05.2019)
UPCOMING DATES:
→ 2021
Feb 2: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
Feb 3: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
Feb 6: CC De Factorij, Zaventem (BE) *
Feb 23: CC Brugge/Kaap, Bruges (BE) *
Mar 17: Cultuurcentrum Hasselt, Hasselt (BE)
Mar 18: Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
Mar 19: Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
Mar 20: Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
Mar 25 (15:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Mar 25 (19:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Mar 26 (17:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Mar 26 (21:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Mar 27 (19:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Apr 22: 30CC, Leuven (BE)
Apr 23: Het Paleis, Antwerpen (BE)
Mei 12: Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE)
Mei 13: Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE)
Mei 14: Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE)
Mei 28: Theater Chur, Chur (CH)
More dates to be announced
PAST DATES:
→ 2020
Dec 5: Beursschouwburg, Brussels (BE) *
Dec 4: Beursschouwburg, Brussels (BE) *
Nov 28: CC Ter Vesten, Beveren (BE) *
Nov 21: Het Paleis, Antwerp (BE) *
Nov 20: OC Vondel, Meulebeke (BE) *
Nov 17: Arge Kultur, Salzburg (AT) *
Nov 16: Arge Kultur, Salzburg (AT) *
Nov 8: Festival Temporada Alta, Girona (SP) *
Oct 23: Oortreders Festival, Pelt (BE) *
Oct 17: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 16: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 15: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 14: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 13: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 11: Cambridge Junction, Cambridge (UK) *
Oct 9: ACCA, Brighton (UK) *
Oct 8: Artsadmin, London (UK) *
Oct 7: FIT Festival, Lugano (CH)
Oct 6: Contact Theatre, Manchester (UK) *
Sep 26: Actoral, Marseille (FR)
Sep 25: Actoral, Marseille (FR)
Sep 7: La Bâtie, Geneva (CH)
Sep 6: La Bâtie, Geneva (CH)
Aug 17: Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zürich (CH) *
Aug 16: Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zürich (CH) *
Aug 15: Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zürich (CH) *
Jul 12: Festival Theaterformen, Hannover (DE) *
Jul 11: Festival Theaterformen, Hannover (DE) *
June 26: Festival Belluard Bollwerk, Fribourg (CH) *
May 27: Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE) *
May 26: Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE) *
May 13: Auawirleben, Bern (CH) *
May 12: Auawirleben, Bern (CH) *
Apr 30: CC De Schakel, Waregem (BE) *
Apr 23: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
Apr 22: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
Apr 3: Zona K, Milano (IT) *
Apr 2: Zona K, Milano (IT) *
Mar 25: Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
Mar 24: Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
Mar 21: Points Communs, Cergy-Pontoise (FR) *
Mar 20: Points Communs, Cergy-Pontoise (FR) *
Mar 18: Pilar, Brussels (BE) *
Mar 13: Leietheater, Deinze (BE) *
Mar 11: Arenbergschouwburg, Antwerp (BE)
Mar 6: Theatre Commons, Tokyo (JP)
Mar 5: Theatre Commons, Tokyo (JP)
Feb 7: Rosendal Teater, Trondheim (NO)
Feb 6: Rosendal Teater, Trondheim (NO)
Jan 11: Tanzquartier Wien, Vienna (AT)
Jan 10: Tanzquartier Wien, Vienna (AT)
→ 2019
Nov 29: Akcent Festival, Prague (CZ)
Nov 22: Kunstencentrum Nona, Mechelen (BE)
Oct 31: Pact Zollverein, Essen (DE)
Oct 29: Spielart, Munich (DE)
Oct 28: Spielart, Munich (DE)
Oct 26: De Grote Post, Ostend (BE)
Oct 25: Campo, Ghent (BE)
Oct 24: Campo, Ghent (BE)
Oct 23: Campo, Ghent (BE)
Oct 4: Materiais Diversos, Cartaxo (PT)
Sep 25: De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
Sep 24: De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
Aug 8: (21:00) Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
Aug 8: (15:00) Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
Aug 7: Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
Jun 27: Latitudes Contemporaines, Lille (FR)
May 21: SPRING Festival, Utrecht (NL)
May 20: SPRING Festival, Utrecht (NL)
May 13: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
May 12: (20:30) Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
May 12: (15:00) Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
May 11: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
May 10: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE) | premiere
* cancelled / postponed due to covid-19
Pleasant Island
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 enter the island for a couple of weeks in the summer of 2018. In this post-apocalyptic setting they try to capture 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
REVIEW
'Whats' de socors'
El Punt Avui (Spain, 23.11.2020)
INTERVIEW
'La cultura s'ha aïllat'
El Punt Avui (Spain, 17.11.2020)
INTERVIEW
'L'illa que ens alerta del futur'
Diari de Girona (Spain, 14.11.2020)
REVIEW
'Itinéraire d'une île ruinée'
IO Gazette (France, 05.10.2020)
INTERVIEW
'Sull'isola di Nauru'
Corriere Del Ticino (Switzerland, 04.10.2020)
INTERVIEW
'Nauru: du paradis au désastre'
Le Courrier (Switzerland, 01.09.2020)
REVIEW
‘Eco-critical theatre’
Asahi News (Japan, 12.09.2019)
REVIEW
‘Moet u naar Pleasant Island en/of Let us believe in the beginning of the cold season?’
De Zendelingen (Belgium, 10.07.2019)
REVIEW
‘Théâtre. À Bruxelles, les propositions engageantes du Kunstenfestivaldesarts’
Des Mots de Minuit (France, 21.05.2019)
INTERVIEW
'Interview Silke Huysmans & Hannes Dereere'
SPRING Radio (The Netherlands, 21.05.2019)
REVIEW
‘Théâtre: le Kunsten déplace ses lignes à Molenbeek. Le festival bruxellois de création contemporaine fait voyager sur l’île de Nauru et en Thaïlande.’
Le Monde (France, 13.05.2019)
REVIEW
‘Kleinste eiland van de wereld legt grootste spiegel voor’
Theaterkrant (The Netherlands, 13.05.2019)
REVIEW
‘Goed begonnen is snel ontgonnen’
De Standaard (Belgium, 13.05.2019)
REVIEW
‘Pijnpunten van migratie, gender en identiteit worden op het Kunstenfestivaldesarts prachtig verbeeld’
De Volkskrant (The Netherlands, 12.05.2019)
INTERVIEW
‘Theaterstuk 'Pleasant Island' zoomt in op Nauru, vroeger een paradijs, nu een vluchtelingenkamp’
De Morgen (Belgium, 09.05.2019)
INTERVIEW
‘Pompidou’
Klara (Belgium, 06.05.2019)
UPCOMING DATES:
→ 2021
Feb 2: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
Feb 3: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
Feb 6: CC De Factorij, Zaventem (BE) *
Feb 23: CC Brugge/Kaap, Bruges (BE) *
Mar 17: Cultuurcentrum Hasselt, Hasselt (BE)
Mar 18: Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
Mar 19: Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
Mar 20: Les Brigittines, Brussels (BE)
Mar 25 (15:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Mar 25 (19:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Mar 26 (17:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Mar 26 (21:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Mar 27 (19:00): Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL)
Apr 22: 30CC, Leuven (BE)
Apr 23: Het Paleis, Antwerpen (BE)
Mei 12: Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE)
Mei 13: Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE)
Mei 14: Rurhfestspiele, Recklinghausen (DE)
Mei 28: Theater Chur, Chur (CH)
More dates to be announced
PAST DATES:
→ 2020
Dec 5: Beursschouwburg, Brussels (BE) *
Dec 4: Beursschouwburg, Brussels (BE) *
Nov 28: CC Ter Vesten, Beveren (BE) *
Nov 21: Het Paleis, Antwerp (BE) *
Nov 20: OC Vondel, Meulebeke (BE) *
Nov 17: Arge Kultur, Salzburg (AT) *
Nov 16: Arge Kultur, Salzburg (AT) *
Nov 8: Festival Temporada Alta, Girona (SP) *
Oct 23: Oortreders Festival, Pelt (BE) *
Oct 17: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 16: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 15: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 14: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 13: Festival d'Automne, Paris (FR)
Oct 11: Cambridge Junction, Cambridge (UK) *
Oct 9: ACCA, Brighton (UK) *
Oct 8: Artsadmin, London (UK) *
Oct 7: FIT Festival, Lugano (CH)
Oct 6: Contact Theatre, Manchester (UK) *
Sep 26: Actoral, Marseille (FR)
Sep 25: Actoral, Marseille (FR)
Sep 7: La Bâtie, Geneva (CH)
Sep 6: La Bâtie, Geneva (CH)
Aug 17: Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zürich (CH) *
Aug 16: Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zürich (CH) *
Aug 15: Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zürich (CH) *
Jul 12: Festival Theaterformen, Hannover (DE) *
Jul 11: Festival Theaterformen, Hannover (DE) *
June 26: Festival Belluard Bollwerk, Fribourg (CH) *
May 27: Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE) *
May 26: Freiburg Festival, Freiburg (DE) *
May 13: Auawirleben, Bern (CH) *
May 12: Auawirleben, Bern (CH) *
Apr 30: CC De Schakel, Waregem (BE) *
Apr 23: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
Apr 22: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (UK) *
Apr 3: Zona K, Milano (IT) *
Apr 2: Zona K, Milano (IT) *
Mar 25: Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
Mar 24: Festival Cement, Den Bosch (NL) *
Mar 21: Points Communs, Cergy-Pontoise (FR) *
Mar 20: Points Communs, Cergy-Pontoise (FR) *
Mar 18: Pilar, Brussels (BE) *
Mar 13: Leietheater, Deinze (BE) *
Mar 11: Arenbergschouwburg, Antwerp (BE)
Mar 6: Theatre Commons, Tokyo (JP)
Mar 5: Theatre Commons, Tokyo (JP)
Feb 7: Rosendal Teater, Trondheim (NO)
Feb 6: Rosendal Teater, Trondheim (NO)
Jan 11: Tanzquartier Wien, Vienna (AT)
Jan 10: Tanzquartier Wien, Vienna (AT)
→ 2019
Nov 29: Akcent Festival, Prague (CZ)
Nov 22: Kunstencentrum Nona, Mechelen (BE)
Oct 31: Pact Zollverein, Essen (DE)
Oct 29: Spielart, Munich (DE)
Oct 28: Spielart, Munich (DE)
Oct 26: De Grote Post, Ostend (BE)
Oct 25: Campo, Ghent (BE)
Oct 24: Campo, Ghent (BE)
Oct 23: Campo, Ghent (BE)
Oct 4: Materiais Diversos, Cartaxo (PT)
Sep 25: De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
Sep 24: De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL)
Aug 8: (21:00) Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
Aug 8: (15:00) Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
Aug 7: Theater Aan Zee, Ostend (BE)
Jun 27: Latitudes Contemporaines, Lille (FR)
May 21: SPRING Festival, Utrecht (NL)
May 20: SPRING Festival, Utrecht (NL)
May 13: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
May 12: (20:30) Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
May 12: (15:00) Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
May 11: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE)
May 10: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels (BE) | premiere
* cancelled / postponed due to covid-19