Mystery Magnet

Out of the darkness of the stage, a procession of images step into the light, setting performers and objects in motion.
Seemingly unconnected figures, sculptures, tableaux vivants claim their ground like theatrical creatures.
Mystery Magnet sketches out a haunted world where humour is born from sadness and magic from the prosaic.

A universe inspired by comics and pictorial action, with the aim of developing an endless battle of materials, shapes and colours.
The result is a succession of scenes that are woven without any apparent logic, seeking to surprise the observer and to bring them, along with the actors, to the very limits of the imaginable.

Mystery Magnet is an absurd and magical show in continual transformation, where nothing is what it seems.
It portrays contemporary surrealism, an experimental terrain where outlandish tenderness, desensitised cruelty, brilliant promises and an unstoppable destruction all share the same space. The observer steps inside Warlop’s mind, and what do they see? Hairy beings, a choir of mannequins, gravitational darts, balloons, horse-women, people rushing off and an inflatable shark. Figures with no apparent connection and sculptures that reclaim their place as theatrical creatures.

With Mystery Magnet, Miet Warlop was selected for the Stuckemarkt Prize, part of the renowned German theaterfestival Theatertreffen (Berliner Festspiele, Berlin), where today’s young playwrights are put in the spotlight. Warlop was selected by the British theater director and Stuckemarkt juror Katie Mitchell. In the jury report, she praises Warlop’s grip on theatricality, humor and her unique visual signature.

Press

“Rather than telling a story, Warlop instead creates a world of beautiful chaos (not unlike what an artist’s exploded mind may look like) in which things happen without rhyme or reason. It induces all sorts of complex emotions, from disgust to euphoria, while inviting the audience to be the judge of the characters’ actions – they are violent or playful, lonely or mischievous, brilliant or idiotic.” ****
Time Out Singapore – 1 September 2014

Time Out Singapore – 1 September 2014
TagesWoche – 29 August 2014
El Pais – 3 February 2018

CREDITS

Concept and Direction: Miet Warlop
Performed by: Miet Warlop / Christian Bakalov, Wietse Tanghe, Kristof Coenen, Laura Vanborm, Gilad Ben Ari, Sofie Durnez, Ian Gyselinck
Replacements by: Ondrej Vidlar, Artemis Stavridi, Erik Nevin and Paola Zampierolo
Set Design: Miet Warlop
Assisted by: Sofie Durnez, Ian Gyselinck
Music: Stefaan Van Leuven and Stephan De Waele
Outside Eye: Namik Mackic, Danai Anesiadou
Technical team: Koen Demeyere, Matthieu Vergez, Jurgen Techel, Bennert Vancottem
Production: Carla Beeckmans

Original Producer: CAMPO, Ghent
Executive Producer: Irene Wool vzw
Co-production: Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels), Göteborgs Dans & Teater Festival (Project in co- production with NXTSTP)
With the support of: The Culture Programme of the European Union
With the assistance of: Arts Centre Vooruit (Ghent)

Thanks to: Nicolas Provost, Katrien de Keukeleere, Pol Heyvaert, Jonathan de Roo, Jonas Feys, Philip Franchitti,
Philippe Riera, Silke Sintobin, Barbara Vackier, Stijn Van Buggenhout, Elke Vanlerberghe, Geert Viaene / AMOTEC

Premiered on 10 May 2012 at KunstenFestivaldesArts (Brussels)

© José Caldeira
© José Caldeira
© José Caldeira
© José Caldeira
© José Caldeira
© José Caldeira
© Reinout Hiel