Korzo
Duration 60 min

Theatrical Dance Performance Meets The Sims 2000

In 2000, the computer game The Sims was released. Players could create virtual people, called Sims, build their homes, and control their lives. Inspired by this game, the theatrical dance performance Sorry not sorry immerses you in a simulated world and introduces you to the ideal family. Or…not?

On a plot of land with a house under construction, five avatars begin their life simulation. They optimize skills and fulfill basic needs. But when temptation unexpectedly knocks at the door, things start to unravel. Suffocating nightmares disrupt their sleep. The dog spirals out of control. The ideal breaks down. Even after a fight, a human response fails to appear. The avatars are left behind in a state of confusion.

In a time when we constantly move between the virtual and physical world, MAN || CO taps into nostalgia for the year 2000 with this performance. Algorithms and AI were not yet part of everyday life. Now the collective asks: to what extent has humanity begun to resemble the avatars from the simulated world of The Sims?

Blending dance and mime, Sorry not sorry uses humor and sadism to dissolve the boundary between real and fake.

MAN || CO is physical, theatrical, and energetic. The four-member Amsterdam dance collective is fascinated by what moves people and how they relate to themselves, others, and society. Their theatrical dance performances with their signature feel-good style have one foot in the world of fantasy and one foot in reality. 

 

MAN || CO tackles social and societal themes, exposing the awkwardness and vulnerability of the human spirit. On stage, expressive characters navigate familiar settings and each other. The collective believes that humor is the key to reflection and uses it in pursuit of its secret mission: inspiring greater compassion. 

Concept: MAN || CO 
Performance: Vera Goetzee, Susan Hoogbergen, Roma Koolen, Hali Neto en Martijn Schrier
Direction: Moniek Merkx 
Set design: Sanne Lips 
Costume design: Jacob Kok 
Music composition: Daniel van Loenen 
Lighting design: Wilfred Loopstra 
Technical support: Joris Schipper 
Production: Charlot van der Meer