KID-NAP - Work Space Brussels

KID-NAP

AHMED KHALED

Outline

For the creation of ‘Kid-Nap’ Ahmed Khaled draws from his own experience. The text is based on a short story written by the famous Iraqi author Hassan Blasim and inspired by recollections of people who have been kidnapped in Iraq. In most cases the kidnapped people have no idea why and by whom they were kidnapped. What is the effect of these crimes on the people and what are the consequences for a country at war? What is the relationship between the victim and it’s kidnapper. What does hunger, pain, fear and isolation do with a person?

‘the slower the car went, the more it turned, the more frightened I was. And when it picked up speed again a strange blend of tranquility and anxiety would pulse through me’ - Hassan Blasim

 

Credits

concept , text and direction: Ahmed Khaled
performance and text: Hoessein Ali, Nele Vereecken, Jessa Wildemeersch
text based on a short story by Hassan Blasim
music composition: Roeland Luyten

production: Jamaa El Irakya
coproduction: Monty
With the support of workspacebrussels, Kopspel and Theater Zuidpool

Dates

Date 01/03/2012 - 25/03/2012 / Kaaistudio's

Other productions

Info

Ahmed Khaled (1985, Iraq)

trained as an actor and director at the Institute of Fine Arts in Bagdad where he also made his first productions. The war changed the course of his life. The last four years he has been living and working in Belgium. Ahmed Khaled collaborated on ‘Iraqi Ghosts’ directed by Mokhallad Rasem (creative award Theater Aan Zee 2010, short-listed for the Vlaams Theaterfestival 2010) and Monde.com (Kunstenfestivaldesarts 2011). He performed in Macbeth (Greet Vissers, Kopspel 2009-2011). Khaled directed the performance ‘Gecrasht’ (co-production De theatermaker, Monty, Het Paleis and Schel’apen 2010-2011). Ahmed Khaled is currently working on his new performance Kid-Nap, which will première June 1st 2012 in the Monty, Antwerp.

Jessa Wildemeersch (1978, Belgium)

studied acting in Antwerp, Belgium and received her Master’s Degree in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School in New York. In 2005 Wildemeersch was awarded a Lifetime Membership at the renowned Actors Studio in New York. When she was eighteen Wildemeersch received the audience award at Theater Aan Zee for the monologue München directed by Don Verboven. The Flemish Community of Belgium awarded her a grant to develop the play Margaret’s Awakening written by Kamiel Vanhole for an American audience. This gave her the opportunity to tour with this monologue in Belgium, North America and Iraq.

In 2008 a grant from the Flemish Community allowed her to co-develop the play W.M.D.(just the low points) with the Brooklyn-based theatre company ‘Sponsored By Nobody. The performance was selected for the 2008 Ice Factory Festival in New York. W.M.D (just the low points) opened The Game’s up! at the vooruit in Ghent (2009) and toured around Belgium and The Netherlands. Since 2008 Wildemeersch is collaborating with Iraqi director Mokhallad Rasem (Iraqi Ghosts) on Long Days. Short Stories (Opening at Cultural year in Ostend 2010), Bagdadworld (Théatre Des Bouffes du Nord, Paris 2010) Monde.com (selection International Kunstenfestivaldesarts 2011) and Caligula (Toneelhuis, Antwerp, 2012). Kid-Nap is Jessa’s second collaboration with director Ahmed Khaled.
Company website: www.jessa.be