You Can Not Lockdown My Fantasies

The graduation project You Can Not Lockdown My Fantasies was created by Pip Lucas, Shelley Bos and Damaris de Jong (Amsterdam School for Drama & Contemporary Music Theatre, who together form: Collectiet) and Sam Kosterman (Production and Stage Management).

Collectiet: 'Collectiet is a feminist music theatre collective. Our graduation did not go as we had planned. In March, when we are all in an intelligent lockdown, our graduation dream seemed to have been shattered. We had been looking forward to our show about sexual fantasies so long. After two weeks of feeling unsettled, one of us came up with a new plan: a sexual fantasy porn website! As a result of the lockdown, porno websites were busier than ever. We quickly changed everything around and started working on this new plan. From uncomfortable Zoom sessions to going into quarantine together at one of our homes. And that is how ‘You Can Not Lockdown My Fantasies’ came into being.

We came across the project ‘Yes Please’ by Company New Heroes (Stichting Nieuwe Helden) at the travelling theatre festival De Parade and we wondered whether we might want to talk about our fantasies one time in a live show with them. At the time, we didn’t dare do that at all. For this show, we entered into a collaboration with them, which meant that we were allowed to take our inspiration from their book. It contains theoretical essays about where fantasies come from and many different fantasies as told by people they interviewed. Those interviews were so honest and vulnerable. For us, it wasn’t so much about the sexual nature of the theme, but more about the hidden basic, human desires that can be found in those sexual fantasies. So, we also revealed all (both literally and metaphorically) and we shared our fantasies with each other and with everyone who ultimately viewed the website.
 
You can close all shops, restaurants, schools, etc., but our own fantasy will always be accessible. You can not lockdown my fantasies. We may have been more dependant on our fantasy than ever before, since we were no longer able to make contact with others in real life. What we wanted to show with the website in particular was that fantasy is not something you have to be ashamed about. We want to make it something that can be discussed openly. Collectiet wants to break taboos and make them a topic of discussion. IT IS TIME TO NOT GIVE A SHIT!’

Visit the 'theatrical feminist porn website'youcannotlockdownmyfantasies.com.

Gillis Biesheuvel: ‘They adopt a challenging and progressive stance at the heart of this society and question the world around them, while making use of extremely strong technique and dramaturgy. Like the rest of of the arts world, they had to tailor their plan to an audience that was not able to leave the home and so they designed a website in the spirit of the times that sucked the audience into a labyrinth of sexual stories, outpourings, erotic songs and sensual video clips. It is an explicit work that addresses the taboo of personal sexual fantasy. In a refined way, they make the viewer laugh, get hot and bothered and shamefully wonder why certain boundaries are not crossed. The three creators and actresses lay themselves bare in a moving, witty and hilarious manner. It is a very powerful and disruptive statement from these three creators who, as far as I’m concerned, should be given total freedom to exploit their talent in the future. Risky and disruptive, they are something to look forward to in this theatre world.’

Stephanie Louwrier, actress, performer: ‘It is an exciting and rich graduation project. A project that, in my opinion, is timeless. We will certainly hear a lot more from Collectiet in the future. The energy, urgency and dynamism makes this collective richer than other theatremakers. They are all powerful young women with a strong opinion. They want to break taboos, create openness. Tackle themes that we are faced with, but which have not yet been picked up on (enough). In my opinion, Collectiet is a rich addition to today’s theatrical landscape.’