Opening is about the theatre; as space, place, and time, with its functions, conventions, history, and collapsing narratives. I work with a collection of beginnings, both existing references and invented ones, and build and superimpose layers of possible pieces on top of each other. Opening is a solo, in that there is one performer on stage. But like the previous pieces, the performer is not the center of the work, but plays together with the other elements like space, sound, text, light, curtains, doors, and more.

A first version of Opening was created for the context of an evening program presented by Les Ballets C. de la B. in 2005. A second version of Opening premiered in Kaaitheaterstudio’s in March 2006. Here a second performer appeared after about 40 minutes into the piece replacing the 'original' performer, and performing the last 15 minutes on her own.

created by: Mette Edvardsen
in collaboration with: Philippe Beloul, Helga Duchamps, Jan Van Gijsel and Nienke Reehorst
produced by: Les Ballets C. de la B.
support: Norsk Kulturråd, Fond for Lyd og Bilde, Fond for Utøvende Kunstnere
with friendly support of: Vooruit/ Gent, Kaaitheater/ Brussels, Stuk/ Leuven
special thanks to: Mårten Spångberg, Lilia Mestre

PERFORMANCES:
Black Box teater (Oslo) 26 October 2007
Long Night of Dance - Kaaitheater (Brussels) 3 March 2007
BIT Bergen Internasjonale Teater (Bergen) 10, 11 May 2006
Kaaitheaterstudio’s (Brussels) 31 March + 1 April 2006
- presented in an evening program by Les Ballets C. de la B. in
HAU 1 - Hebbel Theater (Berlin) 2, 3, 4 March 2005
Tanzquartier (Vienna) 17, 18, 19 Febuary 2005
Theatre de la Ville - Les Abbesses (Paris) 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 Febuary 2005
Vooruit (Gent) 9, 10, 11 Febuary 2005