Kristien De Proost & Bwanga Pilipili
1981: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel perform their legendary benefit concert in Central Park New York in the presence of overn 500.000 fans. The evening is described in history books as a musical celebration of friendship, solidarity and charity.
1982: the double vinyl “Simon & Garfunkel Live in Central Park” appears at the De Proost-residency and causes the most serious arguments between two sisters. Who owns the record? And can that person just decide who can listen to it and when?
2017: Kristien De Proost discovers that Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel have been avoiding each other for years. What’s more: they had already split at the time of their legendary concert in Central Park, could no longer smell or look at each other. But the show had to go on. Shocked by that information, Kristien De Proost decides to process this trauma in a new project.
2018: #metoo and decolonization dominate the debate in the arts and cry out for new nuances.
2019: white theater maker and actress Kristien De Proost invites black theater maker and actress Bwanga Pilipili for an ultimate reenactment of Simon & Garfunkels live concert in Central Park.
Who plays Art and who plays Paul? Will Bwanga and Kristien survive the confrontation with these two immortal musicians? With each other? Do they stay upright? Does the public get value for their money? Do we all get to the last song? And are there winners and / or losers at the end? Simon, Garfunkel, My Sister and Me will be a performance about rivalry in all its forms. Live versus tape, female versus male, black versus white, Europe versus America. Over bridges and turbulent water. About feelin’groovy. About boxers, hometowns, old friends and the 50 ways to leave your lover. But especially about the right to keep singing what you want to sing.
PREMIERE: 22 April 2020, kunstencentrum nona (Mechelen, BE)
CREDITS
CREATED BY: Kristien De Proost and Bwanga Pilipili
SCENOGRAPHY: Marie Szersnovicz
SOUND: Brecht Beuselinck
DRAMATURGY: Sara Vanderieck
PRODUCED BY: Kristien De Proost and kunstencentrum nona
COPRODUCTION: C-TAKT Genk, De Grote Post Oostende, Campo Gent, Arenberg Antwerpen.