Isabella’s Room – by Jan Lauwers & Needcompany

There is a woman who could be straight out of a fairy tale. Masterly performed by actress Vivianne de Muynck, Isabella Morandi recalls her life that spans over 90 years. In a lighted area of the stage characters out of the old woman’s memory are brought to life: her foster father who once told her she was the daughter of a desert prince, her mother who prematurely took her own life and lovers of her extravagant past. She is even surrounded by personifications of her thoughts and feelings – and by an extensive collection of African antiques. Isabella’s theater of memory dances, sings and recites a fantastic biography, inspired by a strange inheritance of author and director Jan Lauwers. His father who had recently passed away left his children a collection of over 5,000 pieces of collectable artifacts stolen from Africa. These relics of colonial thinking form the background for the highly acclaimed piece “Isabella’s Room” performed by the Needcompany (Belgium).

From the series “Backstage – Are you ready for Dance? The World’s newest Dance Performances”