» DAS FRÄULEIN [KOMPANIE]

Formed in 2008, Das Fräulein (Kompanie) was established to develop and promote the work of Belgian artist Anne-Cécile Vandalem. Its theatre creations are original works conceived, written and directed by the artist herself. Das Fräulein (Kompanie) is currently subsidised by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.

In 2003, Anne-Cécile Vandalem began to create and write the shows ZAÏ ZAÏ ZAÏ (2003) and HANSEL AND GRETEL (2005) with Jean-Benoît Ugeux. Her preference has been for fiction ever since.

From 2008 to 2013, the notion of home played a leading role in her work. It is seen as the perfect place of confinement, through which and with which everything happens. Starting from an ultra-realistic universe, she has defined the context of so-called domestic tragedies on an individual level in (SELF)SERVICE at the Théâtre de Vidy-ETE (Lausanne), on a family level in HABIT(U)ATION (2010) at the Théâtre de Namur (Belgium), and on a collective level with AFTER THE WALLS (UTOPIA) at the Théâtre National de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles during the Kunstenfestivaldesarts. These shows make up the Parentheses Trilogy.

Alongside this trilogy, she also created MICHEL DUPONT with the sound engineer Brice Cannavo to reinvent the opposite of the world in a sound show for adults and teenagers.

In 2014, Anne-Cécile Vandalem began exploring the modalities of posture and imposture. She questions a subject/individual’s capacity for action and transformation of reality within different societal spheres, and within her writing addresses the issue of disclosure and fragility as an honest and/or strategic posture. Her creations LOOKING FOR DYSTOPIA, STILL TOO SAD TO TELL YOU and WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU? each in their own way bear witness to these new aesthetic concerns.

In 2016 she created a diptych on sadness, comprising STILL TOO SAD TO TELL YOU (video installation) and TRISTESSES.

ARCTIQUE, which premiered in 2018, is the second part of a trilogy on the end of humanity through major failures of our time.

In 2019, Anne-Cécile Vandalem joined forces with the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz to create DIE ANDEREN, a show performed in German by the company’s actors.

In 2020, the artist was preparing to recreate TRISTESSES in German for the Burgtheater in Vienna but this was postponed due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

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Born in 1979, Anne-Cécile Vandalem is a Belgian actor, writer and director.

After studying performance at the Royal Conservatoire in Liège, Anne-Cécile Vandalem started her career in acting, working for Belgian directors and theatre companies such as Charlie Degotte, Dominique Roodthooft and Transquinquennal.

She started writing for theatre in 2003 with ZAÏ ZAÏ ZAÏ ZAÏ (2003) followed by HANSEL AND GRETEL (2005)*, and she has had a preference for fiction ever since.

Between 2008 and 2013, she set about writing and producing a trilogy on the topic of home as a place of confinement and isolation through which and with which everything happens. Starting from an ultra-realistic universe, she has defined the context of so-called domestic tragedies on an individual level in (SELF) SERVICE (2008), on a family level in HABIT(U)ATION (2011), and on a collective level with AFTER THE WALLS (UTOPIA) (2013).

Alongside this trilogy, she also created MICHEL DUPONT, RÉINVENTER LE CONTRAIRE DU MONDE, a sound fable for adults and teenagers.

In 2014, Anne-Cécile Vandalem began exploring the modalities of posture and imposture. She questions a subject/individual’s capacity for action and transformation of reality within different societal spheres, and in her writing addresses the issue of disclosure and fragility as an honest and/or strategic posture. This has led to three creations in different media: STILL TOO SAD TO TELL YOU (video installation), WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU? (project in the public space) and LOOKING FOR DYSTOPIA (multimedia work).

After these came TRISTESSES, the first part of a trilogy on the end of humanity, which premiered at the Festival d’Avignon in 2016. TRISTESSES combines theatre, film and music, and earned her the award for the best show at the Prix du Théâtre 2016 (BE), the prize for the best foreign show at the Prix de la Critique 2018 (FR) and the “performing arts” writing prize from SACD (BE).

ARCTIQUE, the second part of this trilogy, was presented at the 72^nd Festival d’Avignon. Blending theatre, film and music, the show is a detective novel set against the backdrop of global warming.

KINGDOM, the final part of this trilogy, premièred at Festival d’Avignon in July 2021.

Anne-Cécile also works abroad, particularly with the Schaubühne in Berlin (DE), where she created DIE ANDEREN, a fable of anticipation that tells of the abuse taking place in a small village that gradually closes in on itself in the wake of a terrible event. The arrival of a stranger fleeing the fires in the south awakens hostile, protective behaviour.

Anne-Cécile is currently adapting DIE ANDEREN for the cinema.

* These two shows were written with the actor Jean-Benoît Ugeux.

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