“From being perceived as Tramps and Thieves with togetherness we can become the Kings & Queens of Gypsyland Europa. After all, wouldn’t Europe be a more boring place without us Gypsies?”
– Damian Le Bas
Roma Armee
A stunning collaboration by Damian and Delaine Le Bas for the production of the Gorki's Roma Armee.
"Damian was the soul of Roma Armee and a role model of artistic activism fighting against racism and antiziganism. His influence went beyond his artwork. As the elder statesman for Roma, he encouraged the young to come out and embrace their culture."
– Shermin Langhoff, Artistic Director of the Gorki Theatre.
About the production (from the Gorki website):
At a time when Europe is at risk of drifting into neo-fascism, a group of actors is calling for a Roma army for the purpose of self-defence. A rapid intervention force to fight structural discrimination, racism and antiziganism, but also as emancipation from an internalized role of victims.
The actors are Romnija, Roma and Romani travellers from Austria, Serbia, Germany, Kosovo, Romania, England and Sweden. They are also Israeli-German-Turkish-Berlin Gadjé – that means that the Roma Army is supranational, diverse, feminist, queer. Initiated by the sisters Simonida and Sandra Selimović, they are entering the stage at the Gorki in a collective act of self-empowering artistic action with resident director Yael Ronen: through a joint research process, personal experiences, historical contaminations and contemporary incidents are explored and used to develop a play.
Together with visual artists Delaine and Damian Le Bas from England, they sketch out a vision for a Safe European Home in Gypsyland Europe, as the Le Bas call it.
Premiere: 14 September 2017
Stage Photos: Ute Langkafel
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The Estate of Damian Le Bas
Delaine Le Bas
Copyright 2018 The Estate of Damian Le Bas. All Rights Reserved.
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