Bestiarium (Film) (2000)
(Musical fables on two stages)

This is the televised version of a work of instrumental theatre, based on sayings and metaphors documenting the relationship between humans and animals.

A few examples:

          "Put the cart before the horse"

          "Pull the wool over someone's eyes"

          "Make him wear horns"

          "Go to the dogs"

          "Lead a slothful existence"

          "Act the giddy goat"

          "Puff oneself out like a turkey-cock"

          "Get on one's high horse"

          "Get up on one's hind legs"

In the scenes performed, the inter-relationships of animal-humans and human-animals are frequently illustrated with half-inflated plastic animals. And it is the very fact that the figures appear in an imperfect yet highly expressive form that allows for gestures and actions remarkably similar to human behaviour.

Counterpointing of the visual action with music consisting exclusively of sounds made by hunting and birdcall whistles reinforces the ambiguity of certain relationships. These items of the instrumental repertoire are employed not just for their effect as signals but as highly expressive acoustic weapons.

The work is performed on two 'table' theatres that I have developed for the specific demands of this chosen form of presentation. Each table theatre is equipped with main and subsidiary curtains, full miniature lighting systems and stages that can be revolved, raised and tilted. Behind each of these, one to four actors perform, creating before the audience's eyes the illusion of an anti-illusion, thereby – almost – showing their hands.

M. K.