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.
In a village built on red clay with a saloon, gold mine, railway and church, seven South African actors film a western with cowboys and Indians, golddiggers, missionaries and lots of deadly gunfights.
Together with director Tue Biering and choreographer Nhlanhla Mahlangu the actors dive into a time when 35 million hungry and poor Europeans fled west across the Atlantic to get a second chance, conquer gold and eat of the American dream. It will be a deadly journey. Because in God’s own country, neither black nor white lives matter in the pursuit of happiness.
DARK NOON is abuse, a little house on the prairie, whores, pickpockets and what else the Wild West could offer. It is the wild and lawless story of Western civilization told by a group of South African white facing actors. Here the relationship between the West and Africa is turned inside out and the audience never knows what to expect.
DARK NOON is produced in collaboration with Revolver at Republique and supported by the Danish Arts Foundation, Bikubenfonden and Beckett-Fonden.
DARK NOON opened 11 May and ran for a month until10 June 2019 at, Revolver at Republique/Østerbro Teater in Copenhagen.
Previous tours
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.
“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
