Porca Miseria (Misery, you bitch!)

The performance series “Porca Miseria” by the New York choreographer Trajal Harrell portrays three female characters and their social environments. The first part features the protagonist Maggie from the Tennessee William’s play “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” who doesn’t feel desired by her alcoholic and possibly homosexual husband. The second part focuses on the character of Medea who tragically breaks with her maternal role by murdering her children in order to exact revenge for her husband’s infidelity. The third part of the trilogy is based on Trajal Harrel’s visit with Katherine Dunham at her deathbed. He considers various questions which he wanted to discuss with the anthropologist, choreographer and activist Dunham. The individual pieces are linked aesthetically by a soundtrack, created by Harrell, featuring various genres and instrumentation. In terms of thematic focus, Harrell intensively explores the topics of family and violence, as well as the ways society includes and excludes certain people. The Afro-American dancer and choreographer Trajal Harrell has won numerous international prizes and is considered one of the most influential choreographers of our time. His pieces are only rarely shown in Germany. In this trilogy, Harrell draws on his artistic research of the dance style “Voguing”, Japanese butoh dance theatre and Greek theatre tradition.

Maggie the Cat:

Choreography: Trajal Harrell (US)
Performers: Ondrej Vidlar (CE), Helan Boyd Auerbach (FR), Perle Palombe (FR), Songhay Tolden (GB), Vania Doutel Vaz (PT), Rob Fordeyn (BE), Chris Matthews (US), Trajal Harrell (US), Nesheeka Nedsreal (US), Tiran Willemse (ZA), Stefanie Amurao (CA)
Lighting: Stefane Perraud (FR)
Set design: Eric Flatmo (US) & Trajal Harrell (US)
Dramaturgy: Katinka Deecke
Sound design: Trajal Harrell (US)
Costume design: Trajal Harrell (US)

The Deathbed of Katherine Dunham:

Choreography: Trajal Harrell (US)
Performers: Ondrej Vidlar (CE), Helan Boyd Auerbach (FR), Perle Palombe (FR), Sonhay Tolden (GB), Rob Fordeyn (BE), Chris Matthews (US), Titilayo Adebayo (GB), Tiran Willemse (ZA), Challenge Gumbotete (ZW)
Dramaturgy: Sara Jansen (BE)
Lighting: Stephan Perraud (FR)
Set design: Jean Stephan Kiss (FR) & Trajal Harrell (US)
Sound design: Trajal Harrell (US)
Costume design: Stephen Galloway (US)

Medea:

Choreography: Trajal Harrell (US)
Performers: Vanja Doutel Vaz (PT), Titalayo Adebayo (GB), Trajal Harrell (US), Frances Chiaverini (US), Teresa Vittucci (AU), Maria Silva (PT)
Dramaturgy: Debra Levine (US)
Lighting: Stephan Perraud (FR)
Set design: Eric Flatmo (US) & Trajal Harrell (US)
Sound design: Trajal Harrell (US)
Costume design: Trajal Harrell (US)

Additional Dates:

• Medea: 10–22 Feb. 2020
• Maggie the Cat: October 2020