EDINBURGH 2023: #DANISH Showcase Q&A

BWW caught up with Karen Toftegaard to chat about bringing #DANISH showcase to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Which productions are coming to the Fringe as part of #DANISH showcase?

There are 7 great shows from Denmark at the EdFringe this year. There are 3 shows at ZOO Venues – the alluring dance piece HARVEST, the intriguing drama about greed and financial fraud – THE INSIDER and the amusing dance show TOURIST. Summerhall presents the riveting dance show MASS EFFECT and the radical softness immersive experience SENSUOUS GOVERNING. Also don’t miss the large scale outstanding DARK NOON at Pleasance or the little gem STONE-FACE-BOOK at Assembly @Dancebase.

Can you give us a brief summary of each?

Of course – I have seen all the works from Denmark and you’re in for a treat. All works open your mind and ignite your curiosity because that is characteristic for #DANISH performing arts.

HARVEST is a piece that explores the working body across two seemingly distant sectors: agriculture and dance. It unfolds in a play between a contemporary and a neoflamenco dancer. Soil and grass. THE INSIDER is a remarkable drama about greed and financial fraud – furthermore it has a binaural soundscape that gives you the chills .

MASS EFFECT is an award-winning, high-intensity performance. Together, the cast push their physical limits, deal with exhaustion, motivation, and group dynamics. I saw it right after a long train ride and got felt so invigorated. SENSUOUS GOVERNING is an astonishing immersive and otherworldly journey into the governing structures of our society. It is radical softness in the middle of the hectic EdFringe melting pot.

DARK NOON is the not-to-miss award-winning large scale performance, that reimagines the history of America which is now told by seven South African actors. TOURIST is a journey of your life to the land of holiday wishes, dreams… and nightmare scenarios by the EdFringe experienced DON GNU .STONE-FACE-BOOK is the litte gem, that surprised everybody last year leaving the question: ‘How can a man and some stones awaken such intensity?’.

Why is it so important to have this representation at the Fringe?

It is actually the simple idea of together you can make a difference. Some years ago only one or two shows from Denmark have attended the festival per year. However when a group of shows land it both brings the audiences a more diverse impression of what’s going on in Denmark and the group presence amplifies each of the individual show’s presence at the festival.

How was the work selected to be brought to Edinburgh?

Four of the works have been selected by the Danish Arts Foundation in order to support their vision of promoting Danish performing arts of high artistic quality internationally. However all the 7 shows are supported by the Danish Arts Foundation and are of high artistic quality.

What does it mean to the performers to get to bring these shows to Edinburgh? 

My company WILDTOPIA – producer of the #DANISH showcase – has been collaborating with artists on presenting work at Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2018 (during covid we presented digitally) and there are different things the performers get out of it.

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