Out There Festival Begins with Ontroerend Goed's Are we not drawn onward to new erA
| “An admonitory piece about climate change that has a palindromic title and structure to match. … After seeing this, you may never want to hold a plastic bag again.” —New York Times
Both palindrome and sly metaphor, this absurdist theater work by Belgium’s Ontroerend Goed is an endearingly clever and surprisingly hopeful comment on the climate crisis. Bleak yet beautiful, with a startlingly fresh mix of live film and ingenious stagecraft, Are we not drawn onward to new erA questions how we got here and why. You won’t want to miss this rare US performance by a leading force in European experimental theater. “When I saw the fantastic work in Scotland, a hit at the Edinburgh Festival, I thought it was as ingenious technically and inventive artistically as it was important in its surprisingly hopeful climate themes,” said Philip Bither, the McGuire Director and Senior Curator, Performing Arts. “Playful, smart and by the end, mind-blowing, I immediately knew it would be a perfect Out There opener. While it took four years to finally get it here, I think Minnesota audiences will be knocked out by this theatrical and environmental tour de force.” Out There: Ontroerend Goed, Are we not drawn onward to new erA January 12–14, 8 pm
New performance and radical theater return to the Walker for Out There 2023 with three boundary defying productions, as well a new performance/dance-rooted installation work. Spread over two months, this year’s program features some of the most expansive and breathtaking works in the festival’s 35-year history.
RELATED EVENT Member Night: Ontroerend Goed: Are we not drawn onward to new erA Thursday, January 12, 7–10 pm $10 Walker members Hear from the curator, see the show, and enjoy a drink from the bar—all for $10. This special offer is available to Walker members for the opening night of Are we not drawn onward to new erA. This joyful yet absurdist performance by Belgium’s Ontroerend Goed is an endearingly clever and surprisingly hopeful comment on the climate crisis. With a fresh mix of live film and ingenious stagecraft, this stunning visual theater work questions how we got here and why. Limited availability; purchase $10 member tickets online or call 612.375.7655. RSVP Here
ABOUT ONTROEREND GOED Theatre-performance-group Ontroerend Goed (a punning name, roughly translated as “Feel Estate”) produces self-devised work grounded in the here and now, inviting their audiences to participate as well as observe. They first emerged on the international scene in 2007, with The Smile Off Your Face a one-on-one show in which the audience is tied to a wheelchair and then blindfolded. Their hit show Once and For All was an uncompromising celebration of raw teenage energy on stage. With every new piece of work, Ontroerend Goed provides an intense experience constructed in reality; life goes on during the performance. The company has won numerous prizes across Europe and has hit New York, Sydney, London to critical acclaim. Their work is currently being performed in countries around the world. Ontroerend Goed functions as a collective guided by the artistic director Alexander Devriendt. Convinced that every idea deserves its own brand of artistic expression, the company cherishes a sense of ownership for every single contributor to their work, from actors to light designers, scenographers to conceptual thinkers. Ontroerend Goed fabricates possible realities that question how we as individuals position ourselves in the world today. Covering a history of the universe in one evening, turning spectators into voters who eliminate actors, guiding strangers through a labyrinth of mirrors and avatars to meet themselves, the company has made it its trademark to be unpredictable in content and form. Ontroerend Goed is Alexander Devriendt, Joeri Smet, Charlotte De Bruyne, Karolien De Bleser, Angelo Tijssens, Aurélie Lannoy, David Bauwens, Wim Smet, Pepijn Mesure, Sarah Feyen, Karen Van Ginderachter et Charlotte Nyota Bischop.
Accessibility Sensory note: This performance will contain smoke. Assistive-listening devices are available at the box office. Please contact us at least two weeks in advance for ASL interpretation, audio description, and CART captioning to allow time to schedule these services. For more information about accessibility or to request additional accommodations, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org. For more information about accessibility at the Walker, visit our Access page.
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ABOUT THE WALKER ART CENTER The Walker Art Center is a renowned multidisciplinary arts institution that presents, collects, and supports the creation of groundbreaking work across the visual and performing arts, film/video, and design. Guided by the belief that art has the power to bring joy and solace and to unite people through dialogue and shared experiences, the Walker engages its communities through a dynamic array of exhibitions, performances, events, and initiatives. Its multi-acre campus includes 65,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, the state-of-the-art William and Nadine McGuire Theater and Walker Cinema, and ample green space that connects with the adjoining Minneapolis Sculpture Garden—one of the first urban sculpture parks of its kind in the United States and home to the beloved Twin Cities landmark Spoonbridge and Cherry by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Recognized for its ambitious program and growing collection of more than 15,500 works, the Walker embraces emerging artforms and amplifies the work of artists from Minneapolis and from across the country and the globe. Its broad spectrum of offerings makes it a lively and welcoming hub for artistic expression, creative innovation, and community connection. Visit walkerart.org for more information about upcoming presentations, programs, and opportunities to experience the art of our time.
Program support provided by Leni and David Moore, Jr./The David & Leni Moore Family Foundation. The Walker Art Center’s Performing Arts programs are made possible by generous support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation through the Doris Duke Performing Arts Fund, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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