A group of dancers: different egos and yet they form a unit. The urge to express themselves and to connect controls them. On stage everything is possible; it is a powerful place. A sense of dread befalls them. Action and withdrawal, strength and weakness, confrontation and alienation. Their attempt to communicate is failing. The repercussions of non-communication. Bodies under scrutiny. Bodies in ignominy.
This choreography by Ann Van den Broek is a masculine piece of work. We Solo Men deals with the conflict between on the one hand the desire to entertain and the inability to communicate on the other. The cry for attention becomes a cry of desperation. We Solo Men is an entertaining and, in the end, a lonely sketch.
Ann Van den Broek has created a rhythmic composition made up of sounds, words, movement and body language aimed at connecting with the audience. Arne van Dongen has created another composition for Van den Broek, which will be performed and adapted live on stage based on the sounds produced by the dancers.
We Solo Men was selected for De Nederlandse Dansdagen (Dutch Dance Festival) as one of the most important productions of the 2009/2010 season.
concept and choreography Ann Van den Broek
original cast Jan Deboom, Jan Martens, Andreas Kuck, Cecilia Moisio, Judit Ruiz Onandi, Dario Tortorelli
music composition Arne Van Dongen
set design Niek Kortekaas
lighting design Bernie van Velzen
styling costumes Ann Van den Broek
advice Marc Vanrunxt
make-up artist Jos Brands
sign language coach Marie De Corte
photography Maarten Vanden Abeele
premiere July 5, 2009, Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam, Amsterdam (NL)
We Solo Men is a co-production of WArd/waRD (NL/BE), Korzo Productions (The Hague, NL) and ccBerchem (Antwerp, B), with the financial support of the Dutch Fund for the Performing Arts (NL) and the Government of Flanders (BE).
WArd/waRD
| Date | City | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 October 2017 | We Solo Men | Choisy-le-Roi (FR) | Théâtre Paul Eduard |
| 7 March 2017 | We Solo Men | Parijs (FR) | Theatre de Vanves |
| 4 October 2016 | We Solo Men | Heerlen (NL) | Parkstad Limburg Theaters |
| 3 May 2016 | We Solo Men | Amsterdam (NL) | Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam |
| 11 June 2015 | We Solo Men | Antwerpen (BE) | ccBerchem |
| 13 May 2015 | We Solo Men | Rotterdam (NL) | Rotterdamse Schouwburg |
| 13 September 2014 | We Solo Men | Hannover (DE) | TANZtheater |
| 5 April 2014 | We Solo Men | Rotterdam (NL) | Motel Mozaïque |
| 29 August 2012 | We Solo Men | Düsseldorf (DE) | Central in der Alten |
| 16 March 2012 | We Solo Men | Groningen (NL) | Grand Theatre |
| 18 February 2012 | We Solo Men | Purmerend (NL) | Theater De Verbeelding |
| 10 November 2011 | We Solo Men | Lublin (PL) | Chatka Zaka Theatre |
| 20 May 2011 | We Solo Men | Turijn (IT) | Interplay |
| 18 May 2011 | We Solo Men | Fano (IT) | Marche – AMAT |
| 15 May 2011 | We Solo Men | Bari (IT) | Festival Danza a Bari, |
| 19 February 2011 | We Solo Men | Beveren (BE) | CC Ter Vesten |
| 16 December 2010 | We Solo Men | Hoofddorp (NL) | Schouwburg De Meerse |
| 5 November 2010 | We Solo Men | Alphen a/d Rijn (NL) | Theater Castellum |
| 4 November 2010 | We Solo Men | Geel (BE) | CC De Werft |
| 30 October 2010 | We Solo Men | Houten (NL) | Theater aan de Slinger |
| 18 October 2010 | We Solo Men | Amsterdam (NL) | Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam |
| 1 October 2010 | We Solo Men | Maastricht (NL) | Nederlandse Dansdagen |
| 11 September 2010 | We Solo Men | Almeren (NL) | Schouwburg Almere |
| 26 August 2010 | We Solo Men | Bassano del Grappa (IT) | Opera Estate Festival Veneto |
| 15 April 2010 | We Solo Men | Bremen (DE) | Tanz Bremen |
| 1 March 2010 | We Solo Men | Amsterdam (NL) | Theater Bellevue |
| 9 February 2010 | We Solo Men | Drachten (NL) | Schouwburg De Lawei |
| 8 February 2010 | We Solo Men | Groningen (NL) | Stadsschouwburg Groningen |
| 3 February 2010 | We Solo Men | Den Bosch (NL) | Verkadefabriek |
| 20 January 2010 | We Solo Men | Genk (BE) | CC Genk |
| 15 December 2009 | We Solo Men | Haarlem (NL) | Toneelschuur |
| 3 December 2009 | We Solo Men | Tilburg (NL) | De Nieuwe Vorst |
| 2 December 2009 | We Solo Men | Leiden (NL) | LAKtheater |
| 27 November 2009 | We Solo Men | Breda (NL) | Chassé Theater |
| 26 November 2009 | We Solo Men | Rotterdam (NL) | Lantaren/Venster |
| 25 November 2009 | We Solo Men | Rotterdam (NL) | Lantaren/Venster |
| 21 November 2009 | We Solo Men | Maastricht (NL) | AINSI Theater |
| 24 October 2009 | We Solo Men | Den Haag (NL) | Korzo |
| 23 October 2009 | We Solo Men | Den Haag (NL) | Korzo |
| 17 October 2009 | We Solo Men | Frankfurt (DE) | Künstlerhaus Mousonturm |
| 16 October 2009 | We Solo Men | Frankfurt (DE) | Künstlerhaus Mousonturm |
| 6 July 2009 | We Solo Men | Amsterdam (NL) | Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam |
| 5 July 2009 | We Solo Men | Amsterdam (NL) | Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam – première |
| 25 June 2009 | We Solo Men | Antwerpen (BE) | ccBerchem – try-out |
“We Solo Men is well thought-out and fleshed-out. It takes hold of the audience and does not let go.”
– NRC Handelsblad (NL)
“Strong points of the piece are the tightly orchestrated, rudimentary movements. (…) The distinctive soundscape of stuttered words and drummed applause is extraordinary as well.”
– de Volkskrant (NL)
“It is nearly impossible not to be bowled over by her unrelenting metronome.”
– Het Parool (NL)
“Highly erotic, yet human and a devastating power of esthetics.”
– Braunschwieger Zeiting (DE)