Collectief Paradijs: Hard Cut Paradise

Lees in het Nederlands

A physical storm of images, a sequence of controversial thoughts and comforting visuals—an absurd imagining of our shared past that confronts both performers and audience with the question: What does it really mean to be civilized?

More than two thousand years ago, stories were written that we still cling to today. When Eve plucked the apple from the tree, the knowledge of good and evil was born, and with it, our shame about nakedness. Since the Industrial Revolution, economic growth has become a sacred ideal. Capitalism and consumerism emerged, and in 1885, the great powers of Europe took a pencil and ruler to divide Africa. These monumental shifts have become the very foundation upon which we built our notion of civilization.

But how civilized are we, truly? And what do we learn from the civilizations that came before us? As one civilization crumbles, another seems to be waiting in the wings, and we rush to rebuild without pausing to reflect on the debris we’ve left behind. We spend our days shaping the future: trying to prevent disaster, striving for emancipation, and choosing who gets to keep the world turning.

But if we look critically at our past—can we breathe a sigh of relief, assured that we’re doing better now? Or have we completely lost our way, and is our civilization merely a thin veneer?

Collectief Het Paradijs creates a space in which the environment will continuously transform—shaped by those who call themselves the civilized.

Cast: Ivar Schutte, Vincent van Woerkom, and Luuk Weers (Collectief Het Paradijs) Production: Floor Öfner Business Manager: Christiaan Uytdehaage Technical Production: Yared van der Zijde Lighting Design: Maarten van Burken Technical Support: Joram van Vliet Set Design: Calle de Hoog Set Construction: Jurriaan de Vos Set Design Consultant: Theun Mosk Artistic and Directorial Advice: Loes van der Pligt Dramaturgy Consultant: Florian Hellwig Poster Image: Elze van Houtum Stage Photography: Bart Grietens Marketing: MEERMETVEER

This production is supported by Fonds Podiumkunsten, BNG Cultuurfonds, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, Elise Mathilde Fonds, and Gemeente Zaanstad. Created at creative studio Het Motorblok.