Serious

As the duo toaspern|moeller, dancer/choreographer Alma Toaspern (Leipzig) and singer/composer Mathias Monrad Møller (Copenhagen) explore the intersection of movement and sound together. With the solo ERNST, they present a sparkling homage to humorlessness. And there is every reason to celebrate! Ernst invites you to his birthday, the dressage monkey turns eighty. Party hats, sweets and confetti for everyone! The dancer slips into the role of the show monkey Ernst in the stage set by Danish artist Christian Friedländer and looks back on a life between a longing for the jungle and the entertainment industry. Padded cell or party tent? It doesn't matter - it's finally time to have a real monkey bash with due seriousness. Ernst has come up with a ritual for this special occasion: Don't laugh! Can it work? In the play, the artists ask themselves what it's like to have been domesticated for decades. Full of sad and beautiful comedy, they explore the moment of transition from animal to human, from sound to language. A celebration of all seriousness, a firework display of inhibited emotions. A celebration of humanity. Composition & staging: Mathias Monrad Møller // Dance & staging: Alma Toaspern // Stage design: Christian Friedländer // Text: Marie-Louise Monrad Møller // Sound engineering & mastering: Mikael Tobias // Outside Eye: Susanne Grau // Production: Ulrike Melzwig, Hannah Bickhoff // Administration: Astrid Gravsholt With special thanks to Daniel Haun, Kristin Ryg Helgebostad, Hannes Seidl A production by 4fT - Tanzplattform Leipzig e.V. in cooperation with LOFFT - DAS THEATER, co-produced by Theater Freiburg. Supported by the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony. This measure is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament. The work of toaspern|møller is supported by Bikubenfonden (DK).