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UP YOUR ASS

Lieselot Siddiki & Nona Demey Gallagher
Fri 18.10.2024 and Sat 19.10.2024
18.10.2024
and
19.10.2024
  • 18.10.2024
    20:30 - 22:00
    KVS, Brussels
    KVS BOX
    Past event
  • 19.10.2024
    20:30 - 22:00
    KVS, Brussels
    KVS BOX
    Past event

Theatre creators Nona Demey Gallagher (De Duivels/Les Diables) & Lieselot Siddiki (Nachtzwemmen) present Up Your Ass, Valerie Solanas’ infamous 1965 comedy.

The text has had a controversial status in the feminist (queer) community for years, but is now seeing the European theatre light for the first time.

New York, the Sixties. Main character Bongi Perez – a substitute for Solanas herself – is a crude hustler and sex worker. She hangs out on the streets with quite a few eccentric characters, where she fills her days with vulgar discourses, clapping and wooing female passers-by. When she meets Ginger and Russel – a daddy's girl and a male narcissist – a chain of absurd (anti-)intellectual discussions about the state of society immediately ensues. Bongi, Ginger and Russel shamelessly spit their beliefs at each other – resulting in unthinkable and grotesque situations.

Valerie Solanas is best known today for her attack on Andy Warhol, but her literary legacy includes important radical-feminist works, such as SCUM Manifesto and Up Your Ass. After Andy Warhol refused to produce Up Your Ass, Solanas tried to shoot him. Nona and Lieselot got in close contact with Solanas' last living relative and were the first and only ones to get permission to perform Up Your Ass. 

Performers Sophia Bauer, Bavo Buys, Lucie Plasschaert and Lucas Van Der Vegt fulminate Solanas' words from the 1960s to a rhythm that, at times, is quite similar to today's.

 

Is part of the selection:

"Horny, violent, grand theatre"

– De Morgen *****

Extra

Trigger warnings: this performance contains explicit content. 

“Up Your Ass is een rollercoaster, lekker overdreven, rock ’n roll, in your face. Fasten your seatbelts voor onvervalst acteertalent."
Jury TheaterFestival 2024
“Overweldigend, sensueel, stuitend én politiek theater dat rockt, doet lachen én met veel branie plus pruikenplezier scherpe vragen uitlokt over de wrede wijze waarop de maatschappij omgaat met slachtoffers van wreedheid."
Focus Knack
"Geil, gewelddadig, groots theater."
De Morgen
"De meest sensuele, stuitende en vrijgevochten voorstelling van het jaar 2024."
Knack Focus
"EEN HEERLIJK SCHAAMTELOOS FEMINISTISCH THEATERMANIFEST."
Theaterkrant
"Dit is geen oppervlakkige komedie, maar een doorleefde kritiek waarbij elk woord een doel heeft en dat ook steeds opnieuw treft."
E-tcetera

Credits

van | de | by Nona Demey Gallagher & Lieselot Siddiki met | avec | with Sophia Bauer, Bavo Buys, Lucie Plasschaert & Lucas Van Der Vegt regie Nona Demey Gallagher scenografie | scénographie | set design Eva Demulder & Lieselot Siddiki tekst | texte | text Valerie Solanas tekstbewerking | édition de texte | text editing Nona Demey Gallagher vertaling | traduction | translation Benjamin De Roover muziek | musique | music Bart Demey & Tania Gallagher (Nid & Sancy) jailbait Nona Demey Gallagher & Lieselot Siddiki techniek | technique Kato Stevens, Margy Regniers & Geeraard Respeel lichtontwerp | conception de lumière | light design Kato Stevens bouw decor | construction du décor | set construction Margy Regniers kostuums | costumes Lieselot Siddiki stage kostuums | internship costumes Feiran Zhang extern oog | regard externe | outside eye Rodrigo Batista pruiken | perruques | wigs Tibau Beirnaert productieleiding | directeur·rice de production | production manager Jarne Van Loon uitvoerend producent | producteur exécutif | executive producer detheatermaker coproductie | coproduction CAMPO, Kunstenwerkplaats vzw, De Grote Post, C-Mine & De Studio met de steun van | avec le soutien de | with the support Café VenTura, Sabam for Culture & De Vlaamse Overheid met dank aan | remerciements à | with thanks to Gouvernement, Karen L.B., Nelleke Janssen, Lotte Groessens, Joeri Happel, Natasha Siddiki, Karel Busschop & Alicia Andries