Dark Noon
AN AFRICAN WESTERN ABOUT EUROPEAN MIGRATION
Winner of the Reumert Award 2020, Special Prize.
Nominated in the category Set Design of the year.
Seven South African actors film a western with cowboys and Indians, gold diggers, missionaries and lots of deadly gunfights in a village built on red clay with a saloon, gold mine, railway and church.
Director Tue Biering, choreographer Nhlanhla Mahlangu and the actors dive into a time when 35 million hungry and poor Europeans fled across the Atlantic in pursuit of a second chance. They went west to conquer gold and taste the American dream.
However, it is a deadly journey. Because in God’s own country, neither black nor white lives matter in the pursuit of happiness.
DARK NOON is violence, a little house on the prairie, whores, pickpockets and everything else the Wild West has to offer. It is the untamed and lawless story of Western civilisation told by a group of South African actors. The relationship between the West and Africa gets turned inside out and the audience must prepare for the unexpected.
DARK NOON sis produced in collaboration with Revolver at Teater Republique and is supported by the Danish
Arts Foundation, Bikuben Foundation and Beckett-Foundation.
DARK NOON opened May 11th and ran for a month until June 10th 2019 at Revolver at Republique/Østerbro Teater in Copenhagen.
Current tours
Sydney Festival, Australia, 09.01.2025 – 23.01.2025
Espoo Theatre, Finland, 27.03.2025 – 03.04.2025
Tidligere turnéer
St. Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn NYC, USA 07.06.2024 – 07.07.2024
Spoleto Festival, Charleston, USA 31.05.2024 – 02.06.2024
Factory International: Manchester, England, 06 – 10 March 2024,
Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Pleasance/EICC, Edinburgh, Scotland, 03- 27 August 2023,
Aarhus Festuge, Aarhus, Denmark, 30 August – 03 September 2022
MAPAS FEST, El Sauzal,Tenerife/Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, 23-30 July 2022
Asphalt Festival, Düsseldorf, Germany, 23 – 25 June 2022
Next Festival, Théâtre du Nord, Lille, France, 25 – 27 November 2021
Nanterre-Amandiers, Paris, France, 12 – 20 November 2021
AVAILABLE FOR TOURING – INTERNATIONAL BOOKINGS OUTSIDE OF THE NORDIC COUNTRIES: Glynis Henderson Productions, info@ghmp.co.uk.
”Immersive, sensational, extreme… cleverly evokes the haunted vastness of the West in the mid-1800s. Everything ‘Dark Noon chooses’ to explore figuratively was once quite literal to its victims”
The New York Times
”Arresting, raucously funny… a frenetic and triumphant production, both hugely entertaining and deeply thought-provoking”
New York Theatre Guide
“One of the most ambitious and fearless pieces of theatre to be presented at the fringe in the past decade”
Richard Jordan, The Stage
★★★★★
“Extraordinary outsider vision of American history”
The Guardian
★★★★★
“A truly, staggering relentless theatre experience”
British Theatre Guide
★★★★★
“Breathtakingly fearless”
The Arts Desk
★★★★
“Dripping with energy, irony and anger”
The Observer
★★★★★
“Striking immersive retelling of American history”
Why Now
★★★★
“Incredibly exciting theatre experience”, “One of the most ambitious and fearless pieces of theatre to be presented at the fringe in the past decade”
The Stage
★★★★
“Powerful”
Financial Times
★★★★
“Irresistible”
The Scotsman
★★★★★★
“It’s different and I dare say it’s brilliant. Dark Noon is an excellent example of what modern performing arts has to offer!”
Ungt Teaterblod
★★★★★★
“A dynamic and explosive performance.”
CPHCulture
★★★★★
“Hurry up and go see it!”
The 4th. wall
★★★★★★
“Fix & Foxy has put together a juicy and powerful ensemble.”
Sceneblog.dk
★★★★★
“It forces the audience to think.”
Politiken
CREDITS
Cast Bongani Bennedict Masango, Joe Young, Lillian Tshabalala, Barileng Thato Malebye, Mandla Gaduka, Siyambonga Alfred Mdubeki, Katlego Kaygee Letsholonyana og Thulani Zwane
Director and Scriptwriter Tue Biering
Choreographer and co-director Nhlanhla Mahlangu
Set Designer Johan Kølkjær
Sound Designer Ditlev Brinth
Light Designer Christoffer Gulløv
Props Designer Marie Rosendahl Chemnitz
Props Coordinator Therese Jensen
Research and Assistant Kathrine Fremming
Carpenter Per Christensen
Carpenter Joakim Rødegaard
Carpenter and props Frederik Rønholt Bogh
Costumier Camilla Lind
Video Designer Rasmus Kreiner
Stage Manager Mia-Luise Heide
Stage Manager Rasmus Rahbek
Production manager Jacob Weitze Mylund
Technical Operator Erik Christoffersen og Jacob Weitze Mylund
Press Manager Anne Bennike
International Producer Annette Max Hansen
Producer Karoline Holm Michelsen
Chief Dramaturge og Curator, Revolver Rikke Hedeager
Photographer and graphic designer Søren Meisner
Director’s Assistant Katinka Hurvig Møller
Costume Designer’s Assistants Lisa Kristensen og Ane Katrine Kjær
TOUR TEAM
Technique Fillip Vilhelmsson
Production Manager Thomas Dotzler
Stage Manager Svante Huniche Corell, Jacob Weitze Mylund
Sound Manager & Operator Rafael Cañete Fernández, Joëlle McGovern, Nanna-Karina Schleimann
Assistant Director Katinka Hurvig Møller
Video Rasmus Kreiner
Costume Camilla Lind, Clara Bisgaard, Ane Katrine Schyth Kjær, Sophie Bellin
Producer Annette Max Hansen
Backstage
Picture 1:
The South African cast (and co-director) with bikes in Copenhagen, during the show’s first run in 2019. From the left: Mandla Gaduka, Katlego Letsholonyana, Thulani Zwane, Lillian Tshabalala, Nhlanhla Mahlangu (co director), Siyambonga Alfred Mdubeki, Joe Young og Bongani Bennedict Masango
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Picture 2 – 13:
Selection of rehearsal periods and touring life in Düsseldorf, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Århus
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Picture 14:
Dark Noon playing cards
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Picture 15 – 27:
Pictures from the week of workshops in fall 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Here, the final cast was casted and the concept developed, and the first sketches for the scenography were made. The pictures display all performers at the first casting, the final cast with director Tue Biering, scenographer Johan Kølkjær at The Market Theatre, and international producer Annette Max Hansen.
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Picture 28 + 29:
Post-runthrough meetings with cast and crew backstage in Edinburgh
