Familiestraat

With “Familiestraat” Thomas Verstraeten explores the truly extraordinary, but also perfectly normal street where he lives right in the heart of the Seefhoek in Antwerp – one of the most vibrant parts of the city. Since 2020 Thomas inventoried and described the day to day life, which he then proceeds to examine by establishing links between the happenings in his street in reflection to what is happening all around us in the world – thereby juxtaposing world history with the history of his street, and vice versa.

In Familiestraat, 200 locals will take part in a a six-hour re-enactment of certain parts from life in 2020 as faithfully as possible. Could someone dropping a flowerpot from their window, unconsciously set In motion another worldly event?

For this performance, the artist builds a life-size replica of Familiestraat in cardboard. Familiestraat is a performance about the influence of the big on the small and vice versa. A poetic and fragile attempt to understand life.

Thomas Verstraeten

1986 ◊ BE

https://thomasverstraeten.com/

Thomas Verstraeten is an Antwerp-based theatre maker, actor and visual artist - who is also part of theatre company FC Bergman where he creates plays and operas that have gained several national and international accolades.

Credits

Concept: Thomas Verstraeten◊Acting: 200 people from the Seefhoek neighbourhood◊production manager: Joris Goorden, Eline Verzelen, Adel Setta, Yuni Mahieu◊Assistant director: Janne Coonen◊Dramaturgy: Mark Luyten, Leen Hammenecker◊Light design: Ken Hioco◊Sound design: Senjan Jansen◊Costume design: Judith Van Herck◊Scenery construction: Luc Galle, Charissa Plasmans, Hannelore Dreher, Patrick da Silva ea.◊Special effects: Lieven Slabbinck◊In collaboration with: Perpodium (Antwerpen)◊Production: DE SINGEL, d e t h e a t e r m a k e r◊Co-production: CAMPO (Gent), Het Oude Badhuis(Antwerpen)◊With the Support of: De Vlaamse Regering, Stad Antwerpen, Cultuur District Antwerpen