Babel
Gothenburg City Theatre
A torrent of words about gods, bodies, war, and politics. Mellika Melouani Melani directs Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek’s political drama, which takes the U.S. invasion of Iraq as its starting point.
“We want to explore how we relate to war and conquest, try to find the imperialism in it, expose the animalistic nature of it, and make art out of it,” Mellika explains.
“THIS IS MY THEME: MORALITY! SOUR MORALITY! BUT WITH ICE!” Let us embrace both the big global issues and the small petty human problems. Let us talk, talk, talk. About religion, culture, war, sports, immunity, gender, death, news reporting, the body, sex, music—everything! “WE ARE AGAINST CALLING WAR UGLY. IT IS BEAUTIFUL.” Now let’s start the Jelinek machine! “AND THEY TOOK PICTURES OF EVERYTHING.”
By: Elfriede Jelinek
Translation: Magnus Lindman
Adaptation: Magnus Lindman
Direction: Mellika Melouani Melani
Set Design: Henrik Ekberg, Clive Leaver
Costume: Jennie Branner
Lighting: Max Mitle
Music: Dror Feiler
Mask: Ingela Collin
Actors: Fredrik Evers, Per Grytt, Henric Holmberg, Caroline Söderström, Anna Wallander
Extras: Fredrik Andersson, Gustav Björnlund, Christian De Flon, Nils Lindenmo, Fredrik Lusth
Lecturers: Jan Lif, Felix Larsson, Staffan Larsson
Photo: Ola Kjellby
Photo: Ola Kjellby
Photo: Ola Kjellby
Photo: Ola Kjellby
Photo: Ola Kjellby