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Dancers move across a black floor, one leaping, one with both arms above their head
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Jan Martens: VOICE NOISE

Glorious choreography illuminates a soundscape comprising some of the great women performers and composers of our time in this pop-inspired piece.

Voice Noise is inspired by Anne Carson’s essay ‘The Gender of Sound’ (1992), in which she exposes how patriarchal culture has sought to silence women by ideologically associating women’s sound with monstrosity, disorder and death.

In his pop-inspired and precise manner, Jan Martens raises the question of how some of these voices were silenced. In this piece, innovative, unknown or forgotten women’s voices from the past hundred years of music history are given a stage in the efforts to shape an alternative canon.

The London presentation of VOICE NOISE is generously supported by the Government of Flanders.

Need to know

Age guidance
For ages 12+. Under-12s must be accompanied by an adult on our site.
Content warnings
This performance features language some may find offensive.
Event information

Haze and loud noises are used in this performance.

A post-show talk takes place after the performance on Wednesday 15 October.

Credits

Choreography: Jan Martens
Co-creation and performance: Elisha Mercelina, Steven Michel, Courtney May Robertson, Mamadou Wagué, Loeka Willems, Sue-Yeon Youn and/or Pierre Adrien Touret, Zora Westbroek
Music: 13 music pieces created/sung by women; full list available on www.grip.house
Rehearsal director: Zora Westbroek, Naomi Gibson
Lighting Design: Jan Fedinger
Costume design: Sofie Durnez
Scenography: Joris van Oosterwijk
Sound engineer: Vincent Philippart, Valentijn Weyn, Jo Heijens
Vocal coaching: Ine Claes, Maxime Montjotin
Production costumes and scenography: Théâtre de Liège
Internship: Malick Cissé, Sien Wils
Artistic advice: Marc Vanrunxt, Rudi Meulemans, Femke Gyselinck
Trailer and teasers: Stanislav Dobák
Graphic design: Nick Mattan
Technicians on tour: Elke Verachtert, Valentijn Weyn, Vincent Philippart, Jan Lettany, Milan Philippart
International distribution: A propic – Line Rousseau, Marion Gauvent
Production grip: (Hanne Doms, Anneleen Hermans, Rudi Meulemans, Lize Meynaerts, Klaartje Oerlemans, Jennifer Piasecki, Sylvie Svanberg, Ruud Van Moorleghem, Nele Verreyken)
Coproduction: La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand, Maison de la Danse de Lyon – Pôle européen de production, De Singel international arts center, Théâtre de Liège, Julidans Amsterdam, Le Manège – Scène Nationale de Reims, Romaeuropa festival, DDD – Festival Dias da Dança – Teatro Rivoli – 12 Porto, Scène Nationale de Forbach, Charleroi danse – centre chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles, Festspielhaus St-Pölten, Tanzhaus nrw Düsseldorf, Théâtre de la Ville – Paris, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Équinoxe – Scène Nationale de Châteauroux, Theater Rotterdam, Perpodium
Residencies: La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand (FR), DE SINGEL (Antwerp, BE), Charleroi danse – centre chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles (BE) WITH THE
Financial support of: the Flemish Government, Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government via BNPPFFF

Reviews

‘a magnificent production’Les Echos

‘their slightest gesture gives you shivers’Le Figaro

For your visit

This event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre

The Queen Elizabeth Hall is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.