Works: Ernst Marechal

Blue Key Identity

In December 2010 Ernst Maréchal created “Blue Key Identity” for the Spoken World Festival of Kaaitheater. Blue Key Identity was an artistic continuation of Maréchals previous social-artistic projects: “De Tafel Keuken” and “Made in Belgium”. Both productions were created in collaboration with Globe Aroma and residents of ‘t Klein Kasteeltje, an asylum-seekers centre.

Refugees are literally stuck somewhere between their country of origin and the country they arrive in. The director Ernst Maréchal wants to tell the story of mothers and sons who have become separated. He has travelled to see the mothers in their native countries, in this Syria and the Congo. Blue Key Identity is a film dialogue between here and there. To achieve this Maréchal uses blue key, a film technique in which you film something against a blue background and then make this background transparent so that you can put your subject in front of a new background. In this way Blue Key Identity creates an illusion where refugees can be seen in both their original and their present surroundings. It is a ‘glocal’ show which seeks points where collective or shared identity can be experienced.

Meanwhile, it’s 2012 and actuality catched up on the performance. The fiftieth independence of Congo with the recent reelection of President Kabila has been long forgotten. For Bhelly Bompalonga the Belgian position on these fraudulent reelection can be less hypocritical. Meanwhile in Syria, the Arab Awakening occured which evolved into a propaganda that resulted to thousands of death. Daif Preshini, a Syrian Christian, is concerned that the revolution in his country will affect the rights of the minorities. You will have to come and see how theater catches up in the direction of an elusive reality.

Credits

A project by Ernst Maréchal | with Bhelly Bompolonga, Daïf Preshini |
Direction, montage & concept Ernst Maréchal |
Dramaturgy Marianne Van Kerkhoven (Kaaitheater), Lara Staal (intern) |
Intern director’s assistant Ingrid Vranken |
Lighting design & set Herman Venderickx (Kaaitheater) |
Video Vincent Wilms | camera Ernst Maréchal, Malco Bompalonga (Kinshasa), Anwar Mohammed (Tafelkeuken) |
Design advice Lies Maréchal |
Music Bhelly Bompolonga, Alain Mpiana, Ludo Isanene (Kinshasa) |
Translation Aurélie Boulanger, Eddy Nahimana, Paul Kamisy, Daïf Preshini, Lara Staal, Ingrid Vranken |
Production Margarita Production for The Other vzw |
Co-production Kaaitheater |
In collaboration with KC nOna (Mechelen), Globe Aroma (Brussels) |
Supported by Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie |
Thanks to Bompolonga family, Preshini family, Kristin Van Der Hallen, Vera Maréchal, René Vanhove, Maya Wilsens, Kc nOna, Kaaitheater, Globe Aroma, Mathias De Groof, Koen Vidal, Luc Vansina, Kobe Peeters, Vari Monkeke, Jordan Mansoka, Henri Sehdo, Abu Dhe Shaiah,
Talal Ibrahim, Labdo, Mungungo Ya Sika