BERLIN/Yves Degryse

BERLIN was founded in Antwerp, Belgium, in 2003 by artistic director Yves Degryse, together with Bart Baele and Caroline Rochlitz. They decided not to pin themselves down on one particular genre, but to venture into the documentary realm and let the site where each foray took them guide their inspiration. BERLIN’s performances are warmly received by both theatre and film enthusiasts, and play in that space where theatre and film, fiction and fact meet. The starting point of each performance by BERLIN is located in a city or a region somewhere on the planet. A characteristic feature of its approach is its documentary and interdisciplinary work methods. Focusing on a specific research question, it engages different media depending on the content of the project. In 2004, BERLIN started the series Holocene with the performances Jerusalem, Iqaluit, Bonanza, Moscow and Zvizdal. The making of Berlin (2022) was the final instalment in the series. Besides, BERLIN started a new cycle Horror Vacui of which Tagfish, Land’s End, Perhaps All The Dragons, Remember The Dragons and True Copy are the first five episodes. Touring all across Europe and North America, BERLIN’s performances are featured at numerous international festivals and have been awarded prizes such as the Total Theatre Award in Edinburgh for Bonanza in 2013. In 2015, BERLIN received the Flemish Culture Prize for the Performing Arts, annually awarded by the Flemish Government to an organisation that makes a difference within the performing arts field. In the coming years, BERLIN will build on its current momentum and further make room for innovation by creating a space to support young makers and have associate artists realising projects within the company. In 2024, Fien Leysen will kick off with ALABAMA, in 2026 it will be the turn of Emma Lesuis.