”Be good to the always” is an orientating map, a plan B, a waltz with the homeless or your potentially best random thoughts this afternoon. But perhaps more than anything, this performance is a survival guide to where you are and what’s your city, at this current, pleasant moment. This is a site-specific quest down the rabbit hole of statistics, history and mapping as we go exploring, re-writing, destroying and rebuilding piece by piece that which you call home, -if home is this city.
”Be good to the always” is a interdisciplinary performance, concerning cities and their identity or city attributes, dependent on where the work is being performed. A site-specific work in a set frame, – so to say.
The project is initiated and produced by “Rudi Skotheim Jensen Works”, and is developed artistically in collaboration with the company “Human Works” consisting of Anne-Linn Akselsen and Adrián Minkowicz. For the project, the collaboration has invited Benjamin Eugène and Tobias Stål into the artistic process. The production is supported by the Norwegian Arts Council, Scenerommet in Vestfossen, Kinitiras Studio in Athens, Fredrikstad County and Artboem.
Be good to the always is created by, in alphabetical order;
Adrián Minkowicz / On stage, Anne-Linn Akselsen / On stage, Benjamin Eugène / On stage
Rudi Skotheim Jensen / Off Stage, Tobias Stål / Off Stage, Emmy Astbury / Producer and
Patricia Canellis / Producer.
The performance will premiere: 29th April: Kinitiras Studio in Athens, GR
And will tour:
4 – 5th May : Dansens hus in Stockholm, SE.
7th May: Performers festival, Silkeborg, DK.
9th May: Marked for Scenekunst Sandefjord NO. TBC
13th May : Drammen Theatre, NO.
20th May : St. Croix / SAFT in Fredrikstad, NO.
23–24th May : KOMM’N‘ACT Rencontres, Marseille, FR
R.S.J.works, consists of Rudi Skotheim Jensen, in collaboration with Stockholm based producer Emmy Astbury, Hong Kong producer May Yu from "Circling Theater" and Greek / Norwegian Patricia Canellis from "Fairy Fest Productions". R.S.J.works engage in collaborative productions with various performing ensembles. The company both initiates and / or is invited to productions with a focus on interdisciplinary performing arts. As of 2010, R.S.J.works has had the pleasure of presenting and collaborating in works on a relatively small and humble surface of this planet, among others; Norway, Greenland, Faeroe-Islands, Japan, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Israel, Sweden, Hong Kong, France, Spain, India. www.rudiskotheimjensen.com
Human Works is a company founded by the theater artist Adrián Minkowicz and the dance artist Anne-Linn Akselsen. Their first project, “Dry Act #1: Corpse Aroma” was premiered in December 2009, in Brussels, at “Les Brigittines”, within the frame of the international festival “Working Title #3”. “Dry Act #1” is the first part of a trilogy. The second part, “Dry Act #2: South Domino” is planned to premiere in 2012.
ABOUT THE PROJECT PARTICIPANTS:
Adrián Minkowicz is a multifaceted artist from Argentina, based in Brussels. He has studied playwriting and theater direction in Buenos Aires and acting at the "Bova Actors Workshop" and the "Lee Strasberg Institute" in New York. He has created several works in his home country and Europe. As a comedian, he has written comedy scripts for radio and essays for newspapers, and is also touring a one-man show of his own creation, in cities like Madrid, New York and Buenos Aires. He has been dancing and teaching tango professionally for several years. He also holds a Law Degree and a Master Degree in “Law & Economics” from the University of Buenos Aires.
Anne-Linn Akselsen is a Norwegian dance artist based in Brussels. She is a graduate from The Royal Swedish Ballet School in Stockholm and of both cycles of P.A.R.T.S. in Brussels. She has created several works, of which her solo ”Sing me, for your life, in a Portuguese folia, the reason for your happiness” (2008) won 1st prize at the Baltic Movement Contest in 2010. As a performer she has worked with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker/ Rosas, Jean Luc Ducourt, Salva Sanchis and Heine Avdahl and she has danced and toured works by a.o. William Forsythe and Trisha Brown. She also teaches internationally on a regular basis.
Benjamin Eugène is a acrobat/circus artist from Belgium. After completing ESAC (Superior school of circus arts) in Brussels, he took part in the creating and performing “Trampoline Mission 3” with the Belgian company “Cirq’ulation Locale” from 2006 until 2008. He also founded the company “Le BoTrio” together with Jokke Vanderlinden and Mikaël Vienot with which he created the performance “Rhythm and Beast” in 2007. In the winter of 2009-2010 he created the show “Sibling” by “Sweatshop Company”. It is still playing in theatres in Belgium and abroad. Benjamin also has a history in the trampoline sport with a peak as the overall Champion of Belgium in 2008.
Rudi Skotheim Jensen is a Norwegian creator, whom studied directing and choreography at E.S.A.C. (Ecole Spuerieure des Arts du Cirque) in Brussels, Dramaturgy in O.C.U. (Oslo University College) and has a BA diploma from the Norwegian Theatre Academy in Fredrikstad. Rudi creates his works internationally in collaboration with various ensembles, institutions, organizations and venues.
Tobias Stål is a light, sound and video designer and composer, whom works internationally with performing arts. He’s educated in Conservatory of Piteå (SE) and VGIK (RU) and works both with dramatic theatre at venues as National Touring Theatre (SE), Stockholm City Theatre (SE), Royal Dramatic Theatre (SE), Camp X-Copenhagen City Theatre (DK) and various region theatres in Sweden and Denmark He also worked with performances in Ghana, Estonia, Serbia, UK and Russia and dance and cirque noveau. Tobias wants performing art to have a message for the audience, social, political or emotional. www.tripitaka.se
Emmy Astbury works as a dance producer/general manager in Stockholm, Sweden. Previous working experience includes working for Devon Arts in Schools Initiative, England Arts Council South West and Dans i Västerbotten. Her degree is from the University of Plymouth in Cultural Practice (cultural theory and application) and before that her background is in dance.
Patricia Canellis is a producer and a curator for performing arts. She is currently working as an adviser to the Norwegian Theatre Academy. Her long experience in the European Commission the performing arts networks has lead her to create her own organization (www.fairyfestprod.org) to accompany different artistic projects in Norway and beyond. She is soon launching a new conceptual cultural space for kids.