Grasshoppers is a reproduction of the resilience and vulnerability of nature and the role that we as humans play in it. The 'living' green in this world has to endure a lot. With a turf in the lead, Circus Katoen is looking for a playful way to visualize this process. Grass is a living material and recognizable to everyone. On the one hand very vulnerable and on the other hand it can really take a few knocks.
In Grasshoppers, Circus Katoen removes a piece of green from its natural habitat and brings it above ground level using trestles, planks, rope and their bodies.
The audience follows the artists transforming the grass into an object that is literally mobilized, manipulated and controlled.
A portion of nature ends up in unnatural situations, a specialty of mankind….
Circus Katoen is a Flemish company consisting of Willem Balduyck (BE) and Sophie van der Vuurst de Vries (NL).
They both met at the Codarts CircusArts in Rotterdam and graduated together in 2012.
Their shared love for nature, simple objects, visual humor and a search for individuality support their creativity, and make these themes regularly return in their performances.
After Codarts they immediately created their first performance. The result was 'Ex Aequo', which toured almost 300 times across Europe, in cultural centers, and at circus- and street theatre festivals.
With the performance: 'As heavy as it goes' they became laureate of CircusNext 2015-2016.
CircusNext is a European platform for young emerging circus talent. "As heavy as it goes" played for example at the renowned Festival SPRING in Normandy, the Cirkopolis festival in Prague and at CCAF in Copenhagen.
Grasshoppers is the third creation of Circus Katoen and will tour festivals from spring / summer 2021. After 2021 the performance will be re-created and adapted to perform in theatres.
Artistic direction
Willem Balduyck & Sophie van der Vuurst de Vries
Performers
Willem Balduyck & Sophie van der Vuurst de Vries
Coaching
Kitt Johnson and Hanne Vandersteene
Artistic advice
Benjamin Kuitenbrouwer
Costumes
Lorelinde Hoet
Technicians
Margot Jansens / Bram Vandeghinste / Paul Roussier / Hanna de Vletter / Shira Lob
Subvention
Vlaamse Overheid
Co-production
MiramirO (BE), PERPLX (BE), Theater op de Markt (BE)
Residencies
Atelier Blanchefosse (FR), Latitude 50 (BE), PERPLX (BE), MiramirO (BE), L’essieu du batut (FR), Subtopia (SE) Vlaams Centrum voor Circuskunsten (BE) en Theater op de Markt – Dommelhof (BE)
