DOG/GOD II

Alwynne’s solo show DOG/GOD originally premiered at the Bergen International Festival in 2015 with eight miniatures, specially commissioned compositions for voice and physical performance. In 2020, nine more pieces were presented at Oktoberdans.

Composers who have written for the project include:

Adam de la Cour (UK) - Alec Hall (USA) - Dániel Péter Biró (Hungary/Norway) - Eva Pfitzenmaier (Germany/Norway) - Felix Kubin (Germany) - François Sarhan (France) - Gerhard Stäbler (Germany) - Gundega Šmita (Latvia/Greece) - Gwyn Pritchard (UK) - Helmut Oehring (Germany) - Hollie Harding (UK) - Justin Connolly (UK) - Kaj Aune (Norway) - Laura Bowler (UK) - Ruben Sverre Gjertsen (Norway) - Sigurd Fischer Olsen (Norway) - Thorolf Thuestad (Norway) - Trond Reinholdtsen (Norway) - Vinko Globokar (Slovenia/France) - Øyvind Torvund (Norway).

“But Mr. Bones longed for annihilation now, and rather than stand up and leave the spot where he had experienced Willy’s death, he rolled onto his back and spread his legs wide open—exposing his throat, belly, and genitals to the sky. He was utterly vulnerable to attack in that position. Splayed out in puppylike innocence, he waited for God to strike him dead, fully prepared to offer himself up as a sacrifice now that his master was gone. A few more minutes went by. Mr. Bones closed his eyes, steeling himself for the bright, ecstatic blow from above, but God paid no attention to him—or else could not find him—and little by little, as the sun burned through the clouds overhead, Mr. Bones understood that he was not destined to die that morning. He rolled over and climbed to his feet. Then, tilting his head toward the sky, he filled his lungs with air and let out a long, mighty howl.” (Paul Auster, Timbuktu).

The works premiered in 2020 were:

Alec Hall, Misophonia
Ruben Sverre Gjertsen, With zitterings of flight released and twinglings of twitchbells
Eva Pfitzenmaier, Agility
Laura Bowler, Dog Brush (featuring video interview with visual artist Paula Rego)
Kaj Aune, Today I have been a bad dog, from now on will try to be better, more generous and kind towards others
Sigurd Fischer Olsen, Hand of Dog
Gundega Šmita, Sisyphus
Thorolf Thuestad, Nether
Dániel Péter Biró, And the Flesh (Uvasar)

Programme staged and directed by Alwynne Pritchard
Production and onstage assistant: Aistė Žumbakytė
Onstage assistant and puppet operator: Daina Ulmyte

Costume for Today I have been a bad dog, from now on will try to be better, more generous and kind towards others: Kaj Aune
Mask for And the Flesh (Uvasar): Damselfrau

Lighting design: Stephen Lunn

With support from Arts Council NorwayDeveloped in collaboration with Neither Nor

Photos: Thor Brødreskift
Video: Manuel Madsen, edited by Alwynne Pritchard