The narrative of the piece delves into the timeless saying ‘blood out of stone,’ exploring how we respond to resistance and our capacity to overcome and create progress. In this performance, a self-designed interactive musical instrument takes center stage, its inspiration drawn from the world of stones. Through captivating visuals combined with electroacoustic music, the audience is transported into a realm where stone serves as a symbol of perseverance.
“Sofie Kramer astounds her audience with hellish physical tricks and beautiful prose.” – Theaterkrant
“The death of a beautiful woman is the most poetic topic in the world” – Edgar Allen Poe
“In A Pole Tragedy I search for female autonomy and sexual self-determination in a male-dominated society. Fascinated by Euripides’ famous tragedy Iphigenia in Aulis, about the sacrifice of a young girl’s body in a men’s war, I explore the thin line between violence and the erotic. In a sweaty duet between my body and a sky high pole I dive into my darkest desires, with Iphigenia as my heroic alter ego. Pushing the power dynamics between my body and the pole to extremes, together with composer/sound artist Mári Mákó I built my own interactive dancing pole, which I play with my body like a music instrument. The hard, immobile, shiny piece of steel gets its own voice and is no longer a passive object in a feminist female fantasy. ”
Credits:
Concept, text, direction, performance: Sofie Kramer | Instrument development, sound design: Mári Mákó | Dramaturgy: Doke Pauwels | Audio-technical consultancy and live operation: Anne-Jan Reijn | Costume design: Esther Sloots | Lichtdesign and video: Hendrik Walther | Artistic coaching: Keren Levi | Technician: Leon Vergouw | R Kelly Cover: Sofie Kramer (singer) and Tijl Kramer (producer) | Campaign image: Casper Koster (photography) and Jesse Smits (poster design) | Teaser: Hessel Stuut | Scene photography: Nichon Glerum | Made with support of: Bureau Dégradé, GREENHOUSE/Veem House for Performance, Performing Arts Fund, Amarte, Norma Fund and AFK | Many thanks to: Carl Beukman
