Works: Sanja Mitrović

Do you still love me?

In her new work Do You Still Love Me? Sanja Mitrović continues to examine important political and social issues of our time, and the dramatic moments in which collective behavior intertwines with the private sphere. Do You Still Love Me? takes theatre and football as a twin lens through which to consider the notions of community and belonging, and the importance of love in its many complex and contradictory incarnations.

Two worlds – football and theatre – with seemingly not much in common. What could ensue from their meeting? Four die-hard football supporters and four die-hard professional performers are brought together on stage to reflect on what it is they really believe in, and at what cost. Weaving their personal memories, anecdotes and opinions with fragments of theatre classics, they create a series of situations in which both sides’ views are put under scrutiny and held up as mirrors to passions and prejudices that underlie them. As they soldier on attempting to put themselves into each other’s shoes, the participants touch upon a range of subjects, from nationalism, family and religion, to propaganda, violence and racism, to broken hearts and the inevitability of hope.

After the premiere in France, Do You Still Love Me? has toured the Netherlands and Belgium, in three different versions, each with supporters of local football clubs. In addition to Stade de Reims in France, these included Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise from Brussels in Belgium.

Credits

Concept, choreography and direction: Sanja Mitrović Starring: Servane Ducorps, Cédric Eeckhout, Ina Geerts and Sid van Oerle and the supporters in FR (Stad de Reims): Jacques Poncelet, Dylan Charlot, Michel Cornillier, Romain Jacquet; supporters in NL (Feyenoord): Gert -Jan Kooreman, Janneke Dik, Silvia van der Mijn, Gerrit van Heemst; supporters in BE (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise): Kostas Pericaud, Dominique Piron, Sam De Leener, Gregory Uytterhaegen Text: Sanja Mitrović and Jorge Palinhos in collaboration with performers Research and dramaturgy: Jorge Palinhos Costumes: Frédérick Denis Sound design: Vladimir Rakić Camera and video design: Sanja Mitrović Stage design consulting: Laurent Liefooghe Light design: Stéphane Lebonvallet Technicians: Jasper Hopman, Simon Scrive, Nicolas Menu Text edit and English translation: Siniša Mitrović French translation: Johanne Debat Production direction: Ellen Decoodt (Hiros, BE), Quentin Carrissimo-Bertola (La Comedie, FR), Martha van Meegen and Hedwig Koers (Stand Up Tall Productions, NL) Production management: Anneke Tonen (Stand Up Tall Productions, NL), Helga Baert (Hiros, BE) Distribution & Public relations: La Comédie de Reims (FR), Theaterzaken Via Rudolphi (NL), Hiros (BE, INT), Stand Up Tall Productions (INT) Photography: Kris Dewitte Assistant direction: Annefleur Schep (FR), Hedwig Koers (NL), Dries Gijsels (BE) Production assistant: Aziyadé Baudouin-Talec

Do You Still Love Me? is a production of Stand Up Tall Productions (NL), La Comédie de Reims–CDN / Festival Reims Scènes d’Europe (FR), and Hiros (BE) In co-production with: STUK (BE), Beursschouwburg (BE) Sponsored by: The Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (NL), The Flemish Community (BE), Performing Arts Fund (NL) Thanks to: Rotterdamse Schouwburg (NL), Kunstenwerkplaats Pianofabriek (BE) Special thanks: David Winner and Chris Keulemans for the valuable contribution to the research, and all the supporters for their stories and memories