Jan Martens

Shrill and ugly: noise. This is how women’s voices were often described in cultural history in order to silence them. Giving them a voice that is not often heard is a core theme in the work of the celebrated Belgian choreographer Jan Martens, who was seen at the Festspielhaus in 2023 with the brilliant FUTUR PROCHE. Martens was inspired by the essay The Gender of Sound, in which the poet Anne Carson investigates how women’s voices have been marginalised through history. In VOICE NOISE, the choreographer now gives forgotten women’s voices a stage in a gripping dialogue of music and dance and asks: why do some voices belong to the canon while others don’t? In VOICE NOISE forgotten treasures can be heard from over 100 years of women’s musical history, repeatedly interrupted by silence filled by the dancers searching to express themselves artistically: “noise” becomes “voice” in all its many facets – singing, humming, whispering.

CAST & CREDITS

Jan Martens choreography, Elisha Mercelina, Steven Michel, Courtney May Robertson, Pierre Adrien Touret, Mamadou Wagué, Zora Westbroek, Loeka Willems, Sue-Yeon Youn co-creation, Elisha Mercelina, Steven Michel, Courtney May Robertson, Pierre Adrien Touret, Loeka Willems, Sue-Yeon Youn performance in Festspielhaus St. Pölten, Zora Westbroek rehearsal director in St. Pölten, Jan Fedinger lighting design Sofie Durnez costume design, Joris van Oosterwijk scenography, Vincent Philippart, Valentijn Weyn, Jo Heijens sound engineer, Ine Claes, Maxime Montjotin vocal coaching, Théâtre de Liège production costumes and scenography, Malick Cissé, Sien Wils internship,  Marc Vanrunxt, Rudi Meulemans, Femke Gyselinck artistic advice, Stanislav Dobák trailer & teasers, Nick Mattan graphic design, Elke Verachtert, Vincent Philippart technicians on tour in St. Pölten, Sylvie Svanberg production manager in St. Pölten, GRIP (Hanne Doms, Anneleen Hermans, Rudi Meulemans, Lize Meynaerts, Klaartje Oerlemans, Jennifer Piasecki, Sylvie Svanberg, Ruud Van Moorleghem, Nele Verreyken) production

International distribution by A propic – Line Rousseau, Marion Gauvent, co-produced by La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand SN, Maison de la Danse de Lyon – Pôle européen de production, De Singel international arts center, Théâtre de Liège, Julidans Amsterdam, Le Manège – Scène Nationale de Reims, Romaeuropa festival, DDD – Festival Dias da Dança – Teatro Rivoli – Porto, Scène Nationale de Forbach, Charleroi danse – centre chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles, Festspielhaus St-Pölten, Tanzhaus nrw Düsseldorf, Théâtre de la Ville – Paris, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Équinoxe - Scène Nationale de Châteauroux, Theater Rotterdam, Perpodium, Residencies in La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand SN (FR), DE SINGEL (Antwerp, BE), Charleroi danse – centre chorégraphique de Wallonie – Bruxelles (BE) with the financial support of the Flemish Government, Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government via BNPPFFF

MUSIC

*Cheri Knight: Prime Numbers
*Erin Gee: Mouthpiece I
*Maja Ratkje: Trio
*Camille Yarbrough: Ain't It A Lonely Feeling
*DEBBY FRIDAY: SAFE
*Kesarbai Kerkar: Raag Des Sakhi mohan
*The Raincoats: No One's Little Girl
*Traditional, Ruby Elzy, Arthur Kaplan: Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
*Mary Margaret O'Hara: Not Be Alright
*Cucina Povera: Varisevalehti
*Coro delle Mondine di Porporana: Bella ciao sul femminicidio
*Marianne Reidarsdatter Eriksen, Trio Mediæval: Sol lucet

Spotify-Playlist