Arts Centre Vooruit, Ghent, Belgium

Sweaty hands, a pounding heart, trembling knees, trouble breathing and the desire to run away fast. This can only mean one thing: you’re confronted with something you’re terrified of. Fear comes over you and takes control of your body. But somewhere along the way, that primitive instinct has become something we crave to experience. We go bungee jumping and watch horror movies and thrillers. Fear has become a form of entertainment. Kassys wants to find out why we enjoy fear and performances that evoke a similar tension. How do you scare someone with that person secretly enjoying it?

Dutch company Kassys is known for its multimedia theatre. The Vooruit audience loved earlier pieces such as ‘HORIZON’ and ‘Good Cop Bad Cop’, and ‘Cliffhanger’ is once again an original combination of theatre and film.

The piece is cleverly constructed. Videos and live performances amplify the image and coalesce at certain moments. It’s amazing how you can tell such a fantastic story with so little means. (…) Kassys stands for talent and originality. Their pieces are surprising, witty and clever. Well done to this brilliant company with an eye for top-notch theatre.

“Fear has become entertainment. It’s like bungee jumping but in the theatre. Who better to inspire us than the master of fear himself, Alfred Hitchock?”