Gustavia

Gustavia is a woman’s name, but really just a stage name. She tries to talk about important subjects that are over her head: timeless classical subjects such as womanhood, death, theatre, performance, self-representation and the artist. The show draws on the world of classical burlesque. Classical burlesque has specific codes and techniques that run through films by Peter Sellers, Tati, the Marx Brothers, Keaton, Chaplin and Nanni Moretti, but are also to be found in the theatre and performance art of Leo Bassi, Anna and Bernard Blume, not to forget the art of Bruce Nauman. Burlesque applies techniques of role-reversal and punch-and-dodge; squandered energy, excess speech and absence of speech, repetitions and accidents. There is a distinct burlesque hero, and the burlesque may in many ways be described as the art of transforming incompetence into competence. In ingenious fashion, Monnier and La Ribot have translated these effects into a blackly humorous dance performance.

Source: BIT Teatergarasjen, Oktoberdans 2010. 06.09.2010: http://www.bit-teatergarasjen.no/article/327

“Gustavia, with her crocodile tears, hysterical outbursts, nervous twitches and black, stereotypical décor with velvet drapes as if in a Hamlet performance, is a welcome eye-opener that is sure to find its audience” (Dans, 4/2008)