Arts Centre Vooruit, Ghent, Belgium

“Deploying a fresh intelligence, an ingenious theatricality and a pleasingly odd sense of humor, the Nature Theater of Oklahoma has become one of the top alternative companies in New York.” – The Village Voice

The Nature Theater of Oklahoma is the company of the moment. They have been hailed as the most exciting theatre company of the past few years in Europe as well as in the U.S. The beauty is that the company doesn’t do anything spectacular or experimental, but focuses on storytelling instead. Or more precisely, retelling.

They previously performed their own version of ‘Romeo & Juliet’ at Vooruit, as well as showing us their own version of ‘Rambo: First Blood’. Their latest project – commissioned by the Burgtheater in Vienna – is even more ambitious. They want to turn ‘Life & Times’, which they describe as their “first original musical extravaganza” into a ten-part project that will tell the entire story of one woman’s life. She is not an extraordinary person, but an ordinary woman just like me and you. A battery of characters and memories pass by: the toys that you couldn’t live without, a neighbour with a nicer house than yours, your mysterious taciturn father, the babysitter that let you stay up all night, your grandmother serving tea in china cups, your sister who refused to wear shoes, and so on.

The first episode tells her story from the day she was born until her eighth birthday: her first steps, her first bumps and scratches, her first day at school, etc. The story is presented in the form of a musical with live music. ‘Life & Times’ is the ultimate musical autobiography, which could be considered Nature Theater’s variation on Proust’s ‘A la recherche du temps perdu’. As always, Nature Theater will present a funny, gripping and original show. Don’t miss this unique performance!