MOTHERTONGUE

5 actors. Run time of approximately 50 minutes.

ABOUT THE SHOW

MotherTongue is a collection of 5 different, bilingual one-person shows, for one-person audiences. The actors’ stage? A box.

Each performer offers the show both in English and in their respective Mother Tongues, handing the control of which language over to the audience.

Production History

In 2019 I directed the first round of this project involving five actors. We delved into the themes of community and narrative in search for the universal. Each actor conducted interviews in their native languages with expatriates living in Denmark, individuals whom they would not have encountered otherwise. Through these conversations, we uncovered common threads of cultural identity, as well as the challenges and triumphs of relocating to Copenhagen. These discussions illuminated both the similarities and unique aspects of each person's journey. We wove these threads together, resulting in the creation of five distinct pieces that encapsulated the stories we unearthed in a unique and abstract adaptation. The show premiered as a part of Sydhavn Teaters ST:ART program.

There was laughter, joy, shock, and even tears shared in the boxes between actor and audience. We witnessed such childlike wonder upon people exiting the boxes. After receiving such an overwhelming amount of positive feedback for this project and we remounted the show for Åben Festival 2023.

This project wouldn't have been possible without the help and generosity of ST:ART, Sydhavn Teater, Tuborg fondet, and Theatre Replacement.
MotherTongue is based on Theatre Replacement's BIOBOXES: Artifacting Human Experience. They have been so generous to allow us to play, experiment, and build upon their work. For more information on their work, please visit theatrereplacement.org