lalaei

Discover the unexpected dark side of lullabies

  

About the show: 

In this unique cross-cultural collaboration between Belgian-Dutch band Zwerm and percussionist Karen Willems, Iranian singer Sarah Akbari, British storyteller Marie Phillips the hidden darkness is explored behind the seemingly innocent songs sung to children.

Lalaei gathers together lullabies from all over the world, twisting, breaking and reforming them into something new.

Amongst the music we tell the tale of Procne: a noble queen, a dutiful daughter, an obedient wife, a loving mother. But one day, her sister is hurt in an unimaginable way, and all her suppressed rage rushes to the surface, threatening to destroy herself and everyone around her.

Content warning: violence, rape and cannibalism

Bios: 

Marie Phillips is a Franco-British writer and storyteller, based in London. Her novels are the international bestseller ‘Gods Behaving Badly’, the Baileys Prize-longlisted ‘The Table of Less Valued Knights’, and the Shakespearean comedy ‘Oh, I Do Like To Be…’ 

Sarah Akbari is an Iranian actress, part of the theater group Beyn. Since 2016 she has been working for the Tehran Contemporary Music Festival where she is responsible for international contacts.

Zwerm is an electric guitar quartet based in Belgium. During the past fifteen years the quartet dallied between experimental rock, English renaissance music and contemporary compositions. 

Karen Willems is a drummer, percussionist, composer and musician who has worked with artists such as Zita Swoon Group, Novastar, Mauro Pawlowski, Zwerm, Rutger Zuydervelt, Fred Frith… In 2012 Willems started her first own project INWOLVES and since 2020 TERRE SOL. 

Credits: 

Artists: Marie Phillips, Sarah Akbari, Karen Willems, Toon Callier, Bruno Nelissen, Kobe van Cauwenberghe, Johannes Westendorp

Music: Zwerm, Karen Willems and Sarah Akbari

Storytelling: Marie Phillips

End direction: Raphael Rodan

Scenographie: Stef Depover

Sound engineer: Mark Dedecker

Oeil Extérieur: Judith Vindevogel

Coaching: Farnoosh Farnia

Podcast: Teletext

Productie: Zwerm en WALPURGIS

Co-production: deSingel and Klara Festival

With the support of the Flemish Government and the city of Antwerp

Show in English