A Sensitive Case

Bert is standing in a circle of mousetraps dropping two raddishes

Over 500 mousetraps shape a city full of towers, streets and buildings. Someone traces every shape and curve of this playground. With precise footwork, handstands and balanced acrobatics, he searches through this place. The journey follows an unpredictable route towards what is hidden inside.

Duration
50 min

Audience
Age +7
50 – 250 people

Venue
Indoor & site-specific
(stage lights option)

Artistic disciplines
Mousetrap manipulation, handstands, object theatre & dance

This is a non-verbal performance.

Bert looking at a tower of mousetraps eating a radish

close-up of Bert's feet and hands balancing between mouse traps

Wide-angle shot of a landscape of mouse traps with Bert trying to carefully place a radish

Bert doing a hand stand in a landscape of mouse traps

Bert crouching and balancing on the tip of his toes in a landscape of mouse traps

Close-up of Bert lying on the floor and trying to put a radish on a mouse trap

Close-up of Bert staring at and examining a mouse trap

Bert doing a pistol squat staring at the mouse trap on his foot

Review #1 A Sensitive Case ***1/2 - 7 July 2021, ‘Concertnews.be’
“Barefoot, we see Bert stepping meticulously between the many mousetraps, or making his way through them on his hands. Hoping not to let one jump, or then again. What happens deliberately or unconsciously is not immediately clear to the viewer, which makes it a very spontaneous performance that is both acrobatic and at times even tends to dance (a solo with a mousetrap on a finger).”

Culture House of Saint-Gilles
“An exploration that provokes and limits the artist in its play... in which the public is invited to participate actively.”

7 October 2022, KW Knack Weekend
“A performance in which 681 mouse traps and acrobatic puzzles meet each other in a playful, funny and exciting way.”

Concept, creation & performance
Bert Vanden Berghe
Dramaturgical support from
Roberto Magro, Geert Belpaeme & Jamy Hollebeke
Other exterior eyes
Aurelia Brailowsky, Christelle Dubois, Lien Vanbossele
Light & sound design
Jamy Hollebeke & Wout Clarysse
Costume
Bea Pendesini & Pauline Gaeremynck

Production
Toes Up Vzw
Co-Production
PERPLX

Support in creation & development
UP – Circus & Performing Arts, Miramiro, PERPLX & Maison des Cultures de Saint Gilles

Residencies
Latitude 50, UP – Circus & Performing Arts, Circuscentrum, De Vlaamse overheid, Cirklabo, Quai 41, Maison des Cultures de Saint Gilles, De Grote Post, Miramiro, Zomer van Antwerpen, La Roseraie & Circusplaneet