Ntando Cele
Wasted Land
Berne
In «Wasted Land», Ntando Cele lets us feel her bitter, clever humour right from the start. Between mountains of clothes and choral singing, Cele exposes the irony of neo-colonial, capitalist structures. Inspired by T. S. Eliot's «The Waste Land», the performance combines ecological and social crises to create a powerful reflection on fast fashion and global inequality.
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From the very beginning of «Wasted Land», Ntando Cele boldly confronts us with her sharply dark and brilliantly intelligent humour. There’s no escape in irony either: the last survivor of a world destroyed by neo-colonial, turbo-capitalist and neo-fascist systems is unlikely to be a Black woman. And yet – here she is. Against a backdrop of massive piles of clothing, Ntando Cele and her choristers embody exactly the kind of knowledge needed to unravel this irony.
Inspired by T. S. Eliot’s «The Waste Land» (1923), Ntando Cele’s narrative skillfully connects Western European ideologies of ecological sustainability with the harsh realities of social injustice in other parts of the world, offering a critical lens on one of the most persistent crises of our time. Fast fashion, a brutal byproduct of neo-colonial systems, serves as the central theme of this performance, inviting us to engage – through sight, sound, touch, and thought – with a dystopian future through unflinching, melodic poetry.
Dates and Tickets
shows from today- Sa 23.08. 19:00 - 20:10 CHF 45.–/25.–
- Su 24.08. 19:00 - 20:10 CHF 45.–/25.–
- Mo 25.08. 19:30 - 20:40 CHF 45.–/25.–
Support programme
Stammtisch
Fast Fashion, Slow Justice Sat 23.8., 9. pm
With Fashion Revolution & Ntando Cele
Talks on Resistance
Thr 21.8, 6. pm, Stammtisch
Accessibility
Audio Description
At the performance on Sun, August 24, a live audio description (including spoken surtitles) will be available. If you would like to make use of this service, you can indicate it when booking your ticket online.
Content and sensory warning
The performance addresses structural racism and the impacts of the climate crisis. It includes rapid light changes, occasional loud music, and uses fog effects.
Artistic direction and cast
| Konzept und Regie | Ntando Cele |
|---|---|
| Mit | Ntando Cele, Brandy Butler, Françoise Gautier, Steffi Lobréau |
| Komposition und musikalische Leitung | Wael Sami, Elkholy |
| Beats | Soukey |
| Kostüm | Rudolf Jost |
| Künstlerische und technische Mitarbeit | Sandro Griesser |
| Dramaturgische Mitarbeit | Raphael Urweider, Davide-Christelle Sanvee |
| Regieassistenz | Joëlle Antonie Gbeassor |
| Ton | Janyves Coïc |
| Licht | Demian Jakob |
| Video | Janosch Abel, Nicolas Gerlier |
| Bühnenbau, Requisite und Kostümwerkstatt | Ateliers du Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne |
| Übersetzung | Melanie Albrecht |
| Operator | Joëlle Gbeassor |
| Foto | Claudia Ndebele |
Production
| Produktion | Manaka Empowerment Production, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne |
|---|---|
| Koproduktion | DE SINGEL, Bonlieu – Scène nationale Annecy, Maison Saint-Gervais – Genf, LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, Festival NEXT, Dampfzentrale Bern, Projekt Interreg Frankreich–Schweiz Nr. 20919 – LACS – Annecy, Chambéry, Besançon, Genf, Lausanne |
| Residenz | Schauspiel Leipzig |
| Unterstützung | Expédition Suisse, Kultur Stadt Bern, Swisslos – Kultur Kanton Bern, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Pro Helvetia, Corodis, Loterie romande, Burgergemeinde Bern, Fonds de dotation Porosus, Migros-Kulturprozent, Landis & Gyr Stiftung, Schweizerische Interpretenstiftung |
| Premiere | 20. September 2024, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne |