Graduating producers Titus Duitshof and Zita de Vos about Into Nothing
'The earth is a pearl', says Titus Duitshof, technical and creative producer of Into Nothing, 'but mankind should deal with it much more consciously. Creative producer Zita de Vos: 'With our outdoor performance we hope to create an overwhelming and deeply connecting feeling with your surroundings and yourself.’
Into Nothing is a 'theatrical nature walk'. What does the audience experience?
Titus (graduating in Design & Technology): 'We take you on a journey of wonder and awareness of your surroundings, nature and each other. We create a moment of rest in this ever-changing world. You experience what matters in your surroundings, on this planet and in the cosmos.’
Zita (graduating from Production and Stage Management): 'We interweave nature and its elements with technology. You go on a journey from head to body. You zoom out, into the cosmos, so that you can zoom in again and be amazed by a single grain of sand.’
Wow, so your theatrical walk creates cosmic consciousness! What is your personal connections with this?
Titus: 'I see that in our society, there is almost no time to be truly still and reflect on what matters. How special it is that you and I are on this earth ...'.
Zita: 'Around me, I see that everyone lives in a world of their own. I find this incredibly interesting about people, but it also makes me anxious sometimes. After all, we all live on one planet. And we are all looking for connection, both with our surroundings and with ourselves. How can we look for connection in 7.7 billion different worlds?’
How do you think we have lost that connection in our time and society?
Zita: 'Nowadays, intellect and knowledge are of paramount importance. Where we used to seek refuge in religion, we now seek it in our work. As a result, we listen too much to our heads and too little to our bodies. Burn-out, for example, has become something normal.’
Titus: 'Mankind has become entangled in over-consumption, capitalism and the hunt for more, more, more. We should be much more conscious of the pearl that is our earth, instead of draining it dry. What does it take to realise that what we have is worth much more than the latest phone, fast fashion, et cetera?’
Does Into Nothing contribute to finding that connection again?
Zita: 'I hope so. Into Nothing researches how we can think with our senses. We investigate whether it's possible to turn off your head for a moment and feel what it's like to be part of a whole.’
Titus: 'Maybe a moment of rest and reflection can bring you closer to yourself and the earth, to see what really matters?’
Perhaps the beginning of a solution to the climate crisis?
Titus: 'The climate crisis indeed plays a big role for me in creating this performance. The climate crisis is closely linked to over-consumption, capitalism and humanity's pursuit of more, more, more. As humanity, we should be much more conscious of the pearl that is our earth, instead of plundering and exploiting it. But what does it take to realise that what is there, is worth much more than the latest phone, fast fashion and so on? Can a moment of rest and reflection bring you closer to yourself and to the earth, to see what really matters?’
What is your biggest challenge in making this performance?
Titus: 'We are working on location and with a flame installation. For me as a technical and creative producer, the biggest challenge is: what is possible or not? Or: how could it be done differently without compromising the quality?’
Zita: 'As a creative producer, I keep an overview of both the artistic and the production side of things. Those are two completely different things. I scrutinise every artistic choice carefully from a production point of view: is it realistic? Our ambitions are very big, but of course everything must be possible and safe.’
Finally, why should the public absolutely NOT miss your graduation work?
Titus: 'We have gathered all the ingredients for an unforgettable experience! Our work really offers you the opportunity to step out of your daily routine and surrender to the elements.’ Zita: 'You will experience an overwhelming and deeply connecting feeling with your surroundings and yourself.’
Into Nothingis the graduation performance bu:
Technical & creative producer, pyrotechnician: Titus Duitshof Design & Technology
Creative producer: Zita de Vos Production and Stage Management
Scenographer: Rae Elstak Opleiding Scenography
Executive producer: Tosca Schutte Production and Stage Management
Light design, pyrotechnician: Hessel Hilgersom Design & Technology
Sound design & composer: Marcel Sman Design & Technology
Reservations:Click here
Text and interviews: Petra Boers - Buro Vonkstof
