THEATRE

GUEWEL

WORLD PREMIERE | 12 - 16 NOV

ARTS HOUSE, MELBOURNE

A ritual journey through an ancient African cosmovision, exploring landscapes of the soul and preparing us for life’s beginnings and endings.

Seven years in the making, Guewel is a multi-art form work from director Lamine Sonko, who has journeyed to the remote and sacred places of Senegal to understand how ancient cosmology and metaphysical knowledge shape our ways of being in the world.

In a landmark collaboration with the National Theatre of Senegal, Guewel channels deep ancestral power through primordial sounds worlds and sacred rhythmic dance, offering a reflection on our interconnected, collective human experience.

Blending traditional and contemporary music, dance, projection animation and filmed cultural landscapes, Guewel brings together ancient and new artforms in a vibrant meeting of worlds, bridging cultural and temporal divides.

TICKETS

‘Guewel obliges us to return to the fundamentals, to find the balance of being. We were taken....into a past that we have forgotten’

Prof. Magueye Kasse

‘Guéwel’ takes the spectator deep into the intricacies of African and Senegalese mythology, starting from a tragic ritual blending the sacred and the spiritual’

Agence Press Senegalaise

The Journey

Stage One

Practice-based Research Senegal

Explored ancient African cosmovision with cultural elders and community, transforming cultural research and metaphysical knowledge systems through embodied learning.

Melbourne Recital Centre

Presented a pilot of compositions integrating cultural research and new musical techniques.

Stage 2

Arts House CultureLAB Development

Explored new approaches to presenting traditional cultural knowledge, integrating multidimensional performance elements in a participatory, experiential and inter-disciplinary process.

Stage 3

National Theatre Sorano (Senegal).

2 month residency an artistic collaboration blending ancient practices with contemporary performance

Creative Development Melbourne

Final phase of development to weave together a rich tapestry of sound, projection, and composition into an immersive experience.

World Premiere Melbourne

‘Guewel’ premiere in partnership with Senegal’s National Theatre

National Theatre

Sorano

The National Theatre Daniel Sorano, founded in 1960 at the dawn of Senegal’s independence, has long been a beacon of cultural pride and artistic innovation in West Africa. As one of the first institutions dedicated to reclaiming African identity through the performing arts, it fostered a golden era of theatre, music, and dance that resonated across the continent and beyond. In collaboration with 13.12, this legacy takes centre stage in Guewel, featuring acclaimed artists from the theatre’s two resident companies - Ballet National La Linguère and L’Ensemble Lyrique. Their exceptional command of rare and ancestral performance traditions offers audiences a unique opportunity to experience the richness of West African cultural heritage. Through this powerful exchange, Guewel becomes a space for cultural transmission, international dialogue, and artistic excellence.