Peeping Tom
- International dance theatre collective
- Founded in 2000 by the choreographers Gabriela Carrizo and Franck Chartier
- Performed their very first piece in a camper van
- Frequently work with hyper-realistic sets
A touch of voyeurism
‘Where did our name come from? We focus in our work on the human condition. We want to show what usually remains hidden – fears, secret desires or traumas. That makes our audience a bit of a peeping Tom, a voyeur.’
First ‘where?’. Then ‘who?’
‘When creating, we always start from the space in which it will all happen. It could be an old people’s home (Father) or a museum, which is simultaneously a morgue and a recording studio (Mother). But it could equally well be a snowy mountain top (32 Rue Vandenbranden). All we know at the beginning in each case is where we are. It’s only in the course of the creative process that we discover who we are.’
Dialogue between old and new
‘With our sets, we usually create a complete, realistic space for the theatre. In the case of the KMSKA, though, we thought it would be interesting to work with the museum’s existing space. The dialogue between the old and the new section is certainly fascinating. As are the big galleries that have been empty for so long and are now waiting for new life.’
Blurring boundaries
‘We always like to blur the boundaries between art forms in our work. We weave theatre, song, cinematographic techniques and visual arts together. As Artist In Residence, we want to build a bridge between what theatre can be and what can happen in the museum. To bring both worlds closer together.’
Cleaners and attendants
‘Our work is already very visual, but we feel that the combination with the museum will create even more possibilities. I find it an interesting idea in itself to explore how you might bring dance theatre and the visual arts closer together. Besides that, we want to focus on the people at the museum. Especially the ones who are always there but at the same time remain somewhat invisible, such as the cleaners and attendants. What’s it like for them to be surrounded by works of art all their lives?’