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.
‘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
Support this project through our Australian Cultural Fund campaign
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
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director/Composer | Lamine Sonko
Producer | Olive Moynihan
Performer | Aminata Sarr
Performer | Awa Coulibaly
Performer | Ndik Sene
Performer | Aziz Mbaye
Performer | Anita Quayle
Sound Design | Roger Alsop, Thomas ‘Soup’ Campbell
Projection Design | Rhian Hinkley
Costume Design | Lamine Diatta
Set Design | Susie Bates
Visual Artist | Kine Aw
Assistant Directors| Bowerbird Theatre
Associate Producer | Tanya Mclaine
Strategy Consultants | Sophia Kostava & Andy Miller
This project is assisted by the Australian Government through the Creative Australia its arts funding and advisory body.
It is supported by Creative Victoria, Arts House, City of Melbourne, Sona Productions and Multicultural Arts Victoria.
