Karrasekare
In Karrasekare we attempt to remove the flesh from human behaviour. The work presents humans as idiosyncratic and cultured beings, while trying not to forget that we are all little more than instinctive animals fleshed out in human form.
Karrasekare is the latest work by Igor x Moreno and is inspired by the Basque and Sardinian pagan carnival traditions.
The work draws from pre-christian rituals: it looks back at a time when the beginning of Spring was not called carnival*, yet; a time in which the Spring Solstice called for a celebration of the flesh.
Karrasekare revisits the past to enter the future. It uses traditional rhythms – the same ones that have accompanied our dances for centuries – to create free, fluid and queer identities. It unroots these pagan rituals from their original context – the streets, the squares – to re-imagine them inside a black box.
Filled with the danger of dancing, singing and drinking together, Karrasekare channels the energy of a folk festival and rubs agains our sense of prudishness.
*the word ‘carnival’ (from latin ‘remove meat’) referred originally to the Christian practice of abstaining from meat during Lent.
- Moreno Solinas Choreographer & Performer
- Igor Urzelai Hernando Choreographer & Performer
- Margherita Elliot Performer & Rehearsal Director
- Giulia Vacca Performer
- Marcella Mancini Performer
- Alessio Rundeddu Performer
- Matteo Sedda Performer
- Simon Ellis Dramaturg
- Edoardo Robert Elliot Original Music, Sound Design & Sound Technician
- KASPERSOPHIE Set, Costume and Props Designers
- Joshie Harriette Lighting Designer
- Laurie Loads Lighting Technican and Re-lighter
- Matteo Maragno Stage Manager (on tour)
- Giovanni Spada Stage Manager (creation)
- Misha Benjamin Rigger
- Davide Pisano Project Producer
- Anna Paola Della Chiesa Project Administrator
‘[Igor x Moreno] have created a deliciously dark and visceral production that draws on Basque and Sardinian traditions, a joyful celebration of all things carnal. Karrasekare (the Sardinian word for Carnival) is eighty minutes of pure delight, bringing together brilliantly original choreography, gruelling performance and clever design. Full of surprises, the show moves seamlessly from gloomy stillness to chaotic misrule.‘ ★★★★ The Reviews Hub, Jo Beggs
‘Karrasekare is not merely a performance to be watched; it is an experience to be felt deeply and pondered long after it ends. Karrasekareis a remarkable piece of contemporary performance art. It challenges, provokes, and mesmerises, pushing the boundaries of comfort and convention. The production is a testament to the power of art to evoke emotion, spark conversation, and challenge societal norms.‘ ★★★★ Jadar, Robiful
‘[Karrasekare’s] bold and provocative nature, and relentless exploration of pagan traditions makes it standout piece that is a testament to the power of dance to confront and provoke, offering a surrealistic experience that lingers long after the final note has faded.‘ Canal St Media, Paul Schofield
‘A show that uncovers worlds, showing restless and alert souls and preparing us for a journey towards another time, the time of a non-regimented Carnival, untamed by capitalist consumerism.’ Limina Teatri, Paolo Ruffini
‘irresistible and captivating, beautiful to watch and worthy of every reflection’ Il Manifesto, Gianfranco Capitta
‘Complex, layered, powerful work, open to many interpretations and with excellent performers.’ Limina Teatri, Paolo Ruffini
‘It is rare to see a work in which the origin of place is so well embedded in the artistic outcome’ Springback Magazine, Ariadne Mike
‘Not for the faint-hearted‘ The Stage, Siobhan Murphy
‘for Igor x Moreno, movement is the main path to escape the solitude of the individual, movement is sociality, it is coming together for a secular and blood-soaked celebration of life’ Krapp’s Last Post, Carlo Lei
‘Igor x Moreno’s Carnival recalls something trans-generational. [It is] the staging of that intangible heritage that unites peoples and communities across geographical boundaries and personal narratives. And it does all this not only by reproducing carnival, but by overturning it, taking it to the extreme of its physicality, finding the mystical dimension of the body, digging into the ancient, sometimes into the crude, but always through a bold and brilliant truth.’ Sipario, Maria Elena Ricci
‘Karrasekare translates [Igor x Moreno]’s respective ancient cultures into carefully orchestrated anarchy, replete with stagey feeling and pagan Carnival props (horned hats, animal furs, handmade masks, dunes of fabric). Karrasekare (Carnival, in Sardinian) is at once earthy and faraway, body-friendly and baroque, cathartic and voyeuristic.’ Air Mail, Apollinaire Scherr