CHERKAOUI ASKS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BELGIAN TODAY IN VLAEMSCH’S EPIC UK PREMIERE

By Madeleine Anderson ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

‘An ego defying moment, an ego defying moment, an ego defying moment’, these are the words that were repeated halfway through the UK premiere of Vlaemsch (chez moi), the latest work from Flemish-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

The line came over an hour into the show, when several performers were standing holding picture frames at jagged angles in a snaking line. In this moment, which combined physical comedy, tension and political messaging, Cherkaoui exposed the point of the entire performance.

Each step has a message in Cherkaoui’s daring new venture which sees the widely-renowned choreographer, who has produced work for artists including Madonna and Beyonce, look to Belgium’s colonial past and its global future for nearly two hours of busy, daring and detailed performance.

Vlaemsch — an archaic spelling of the Dutch for ‘Flemish’ —  repeatedly requires the audience to suspend their belief, to simultaneously allow the rhythmic dancing and music  to wash over them, and to stay alert to the warnings revealed throughout the (rather long) performance.

Through Vlaemsch, Cherkaou holds a mirror up to Belgium in 2025, using references to 15th century Flanders and contemporary comments on what it means to be a woman, a migrant, queer and Flemish today.

Enchanting and repetitive music is deployed throughout the performance, using a combination of 1600s polyphonic music, French, Flemish and Arabic singing and spoken word.

There are times when the sound and movement is deeply stirring, like when three female performers stand almost-ghost like on a dimly lit stage to sing as a moody and melodic trio, mostly in French. At other moments, the repetitive music feels draining and I found myself itching for the performance to progress.

Frequent costume changes add to the pace of the performance, with dancers wearing a mix of Western and Moroccan dress. Vlaemsch also makes good use of lighting, often by using table lamps of various sizes that are dotted across the stage and emit a yellow glow or turn off, usually in time with a dancer’s quick jolt or jolt.

It was easy to pay attention for most of the performance, but I became distracted during the longer scenes with less enticing music and less clear messaging.

I think that was part of the point, with Cherkaoui requiring the audience to push themselves, to listen and try to learn, even (maybe especially) when he wasn’t clear what they needed to look for.

WEBSITE

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Photo Credit: FilipVanRoe