Atta Nasser
Jerusalem
Atta Nasser, born in Jerusalem, and Scarlet Tummers, born in The Hague, meet on stage in a quest for identity and meaning. Despite their differences and with their similarities, they want to find out what faith means, both within religious practices and in everyday life. The result is a conversation between two makers who want to confront themselves, each other and the audience with their interpretation of what Jerusalem stands for.
"You can learn something from every person you meet. Every person knows something that you don't know." From this point of view, Scarlet Tummers and Atta Nasser try to make sense of each other. In their view, what is the difference between good and bad, from what does the urge to believe arise?
Jerusalem is the cradle of religion, of ongoing conflict, but it is also a place of living and laughter. This performance therefore symbolises that Jerusalem, in all its facets.
Jerusalem was created within the framework of de medeSTANders, an initiative in which young makers develop a performance under the wings of STAN. Both Scarlet Tummers and Atta Nasser are already connected to the company.
It's good that you are here
It's good that we are here
Together
It's good that you left your country
It's good that this is your country now
You can call this your country
It's good that you fell in love
It's good that you got married
Is it good that we are married?
It's good that you have children
You have two I have two
It's good that you have hope
paint with people
During lockdown, Atta rediscovered his love for drawing and painting. With the project Paint with people, he collaborates with more and less experienced painters. They interact, learn from each other and influence each other's styles. During the 'Kunstzomer 2022' in June, Atta opened his studio to visitors and to new fellow painters.
now i'm here
I come from no country, from no city, no tribe. I am the son of the road... all tongues and all prayers belong to me. But I belong to none of them - Amin Maalouf
Long ago, people gathered in coffee bars to tell stories about the present, the past and the future. History was made in coffee bars.
This performance is about a man who can only be found in coffee bars. Playfully, he shares his stories, memories and Arabic coffee.
On 7 and 8 January 2021, the show played at Lagrange Points (Brussels).
LUCKY LOBSTER
I am a lobster.
I live in an aquarium with other lobsters.
It is a small aquarium where I live.
And we are many.
We are living on top of each other.
And there is not a lot of space to move freely.
And every time one lobster tries to escape the aquarium, the other lobsters bring it down.
Every time you try to escape, the other lobsters bring you down.
It is hard to leave.
Hard to escape.
But I was a lucky lobster.
I could leave.
I could escape from my aquarium.
I escaped during the night.
Everyone was sleeping.
I was fast.
And I was young.
I escaped and I arrived at the ocean.
I swam deep.
I saw other fish and other free lobsters.
I talked to them.
And they told me a lot of beautiful lobster stories that I had never heard before.
I decided to go back to the aquarium and share these beautiful stories with my lobster friends.
They made me feel guilty for leaving.
They didn’t listen to my stories.
And they never talked to me again.
So I decided to escape once more and to go back to the ocean.
And share some aquarium stories.
Stories that the ocean doesn’t know.