Premiere Beatrix Simko - The Credenza left in the cellar

In the frame of the Creative Crossroad activity, Beatrix Simko was selected by Workshop Foundation to receive a 2 years structural support by the LLB network to work on her latest production "The Credenza Left in the Cellar".

This support includes structural support by Workshop Foundation, a residency at MDT Stockholm and a residency at Uferstudios.

During the first 12 months, Workshop Foundation established new partnerships for Simkó’s work (e.g. Collegium Hungaricum – Berlin, Trafó House of Contemporary Arts – Budapest, Theater Kampnagel and K3 – Hamburg). WSF was very successful with applying for additional supports (Hungarian National Cultural Fund, Staféta program of the City of Budapest) and they were able to find residency opportunities from outside of LLB.

With the collaboration with WSF, Simkó has found her collaborators for her new artistic projects and she developed a working partnership with WSF’s former Susy participant Brigitta Kovács, Brigitta is the manager of Simkó.

Performance description: The question of continuity and passage of time accompanies us throughout life. What is, however, enduring in a lifetime? A character, a movement or an object? Or do our habits transform so quickly, that slowly, most of the things that happened fifty years ago, need an explanation? The body is exposed to a flowing transformation. The Credenza Left in the Cellar engages with the ageing process and the relation between old and young. It addresses the interdependent relationship between two generations. 

Residency at Uferstudios Berlin:

Artists involved: Márk Bartha, Daniel Dömölky, Kotka Gudmon, Polett Kasza, Tony De Maeyer, Beatrix Simkó, Karin Kirchhoff

Beatrix Simkó used the Creative Crossroads residency at Uferstudios to develop the first phase of her work “Die Kredenz ist im Keller (geblieben)”, later to be shown at Kampnagel Hamburg in the frame of her Performance Studies final presentation. This was the first step towards creating a full-length performance for 2020. 

Beatrix Simkó worked 9 days in our Studio 1, offering her a wide choice of technical stage equipment and technical support to experiment with, in order to allow the light and stage designer Daniel Dömölky to assemble the element of the set design and program the lighting for the upcoming performance. 

On the choreographic aspect, Beatrix Simkó went into a very concentrated phase of work with her whole cast, seen that two performers of “Die Kredenz…” live in Berlin, as well as her dramaturg, a third performer and the composer were traveling to Berlin, to bring the event together.  

In accordance with Beatrix Simkó, Uferstudios advised Karin Kirchhoff to accompany the research/rehearsal process as a dramaturge/outside eye. As a curator of Tanztage Heilbronn and a professional within the field of dramaturgy, mentorship and cultural policy Karin Kirchhoff holds many connections to decision makers, art directors and curators throughout Europe that might come useful to Beatrix Simkó at a later point. In addition, Karin Kirchhoffs dramaturgical background is well set within the aesthetics of Tanztheater, narrative contemporary dance, and movement dramaturgy, making her a perfect match for the aim Beatrix Simkó had set for her residency. 

Beatrix Simko ended her residency with an informal showing in Uferstudios, that was mainly directed towards peers and professionals from Uferstudios rather than towards a general public (which then occurred 6 weeks later at Kampnagel). The showing was followed by a short feedback session by the peers attending. 

View her experience report in the upper right column.