Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel, Bogota , Colombia

1 Apr 2018 - 8 Apr 2018

Coco Chanel was an icon of gracefulness. With her bold designs she liberated woman from the corset. Her eventful life tells us the story of a woman, whom while being an orphan rose to the French upper class. For modern woman today her name is a symbol for equality and freedom.

Chanel may be famous for her affairs, but she is also known as a savvy and successful businesswoman. Up until today Chanel is one of the most famous brands in the fashion industry.

Ulrike Quade and Jo Strømgren are fascinated by the complex history of Coco Chanel. As a master of illusion Chanel consistently chose to mythologize herself. She controlled the way the world looked at her, while at the same time her fashion has become a symbol for emancipation. The performance Coco Chanel sought to investigate the influence fashion has on our society. How a costume becomes a body and how a body becomes a puppet.

Coco Chanel was a coproduction of Ulrike Quade Company and Jo Strømgren Kompani (Norway) in collaboration with Strijbos & Van Rijswijk. In 2009 Ulrike Quade en Jo Strømgren made the successful production The Writer, based on the contentious life of Nobel Prize winner Knut Humsun.

Premiere was on April 13, 2017 at Theater Bellevue, Amsterdam.

Credits

Concept and directing: Ulrike Quade and Jo Strømgren
Performers: Ester Natzijl, Ilija Surla & Indra Cauwels
Composition: Strijbos & Van Rijswijk
Set Design: Jo Strømgren
Lighting Design Floriaan Ganzevoort
Puppet Design & Creation: Ulrike Quade
Assistent Puppet Creation: Maria Landgraf
Costume Design: Jacqueline Steijlen
Assistants Costume Design: Puck Jansen, Lara Schellenkens, Greetje Opheij, Dirkje Krekt
Assistant Director: Anne van Dorp
Text: Hannah van Wieringen
Atelier assistent: Pluck Venema
Dramaturgical Advice: Thomas Lamers
Intern Puppet Creation: Hannah Baudouin
Technicians: Niels Runderkamp & Richard Bron
Photographer: Michiel Voet
Many thanks to: Frieda Pittoors, Rosa Reuten en Tom Jansen
Pers

“Through a puppet I can show you why I think loneliness is beautiful” Background interview Ulrike Quade for NRC – Read here

★★★★★ “Wizardry that can’t be put into words”. Theaterkrant (Loek Zonneveld) – Read here

“Fascination because of the visual strength” Review Scènes (Léonie Sanders)

“A magical production” Haarlems Dagblad (Margriet Prinssen)

Coco Chanel was chosen by the Amsterdam community judging panel as best performance of the season 16/17!

“Anywhere, any place, the world needs art. Also in war grows a flower. Such a flower is this performance. Where the bombs fall, you long for everyone to be able to see this.