Death in Venice: Willem Dafoe thrills theatre biennale with adventurous shows about ghosts and rebirth

Death in Venice: Willem Dafoe Thrills Theatre Biennale With Adventurous Shows About Ghosts and Rebirth

Death in Venice - Last year, when Willem Dafoe assumed the role of artistic director for the Venice Theatre Biennale, he infused the event with a distinctly personal vision. The programme reflected his deep-seated artistic interests, featuring experimental theatre companies that had left an indelible mark on his early career. One standout piece was a cryptic two-person play by Richard Foreman, which unfolded through the recitation of disjointed phrases from index cards. The performance, steeped in esoteric style, felt more like a reverie than a modern theatrical statement. While it sparked curiosity, it also carried an air of sentimentality, hinting at a programme that was both avant-garde and steeped in nostalgia.

This Year’s Programme: A Bold Departure

This year, the 54th edition of the biennale, has embraced a radically different direction. Dafoe’s curatorial choices now highlight a diverse array of global voices, spanning continents and traditions. The festival’s scope has expanded beyond its previous boundaries, incorporating productions from Europe to Indonesia and India. Among the highlights is Yusril Katil’s *Under the Volcano*, a poignant work that explores themes of memory and displacement, while Sharmila Biswas’s *Mischief Dance* offers a vibrant, culturally rich narrative of resilience. These selections underscore Dafoe’s commitment to broadening the festival’s cultural reach and fostering a dialogue between disparate theatrical forms.

Fusion of Traditions: A Tapestry of Innovation

Dafoe’s programme is marked by its eclectic fusion of theatrical styles and historical influences. Shows like Satoshi Miyagi’s *Mugen Noh Othello* exemplify this approach, blending the ancient ritual of Noh theatre with the narrative complexity of Shakespearean tragedy. Miyagi, a Japanese experimentalist known for reimagining Western classics, reconfigures *Othello* to center Desdemona, the murdered wife, as a symbol of both vulnerability and quiet power. The production’s structure—rooted in the traditional Noh form yet infused with contemporary urgency—invites audiences to reconsider the roles of agency and fate in Shakespeare’s timeless tale.

Another compelling example is Christos Stergioglou and Alex Drakos Ktistakis’ *Cries*, which merges physical theatre with musical storytelling to create a visceral, immersive experience. Set against the backdrop of the open-air Teatro Verde, an amphitheatre-like venue on an island off the mainland, the production channels the voices of historical and modern figures who have been displaced or silenced. From the mythic Hecuba, who mourns the fall of Troy, to today’s refugees and migrant workers, the piece captures the collective anguish of those who have been forced to leave their roots. The performers, who move as a six-piece ensemble, use their voices as both instruments and narrative devices, creating a soundscape that echoes the emotional weight of their stories.

Promemoria: A Monument to Memory and Humanity

Perhaps the most striking addition to the lineup is Davide Iodice’s *Promemoria*, a groundbreaking work that explores the lives of the elderly in Venice’s San Giobbe care home. The play immerses audiences in the daily rhythms of the facility, where they encounter 21 residents navigating the challenges of cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s. Alongside these individuals, nine actors weave through the space, interacting with carers and fellow residents to create a layered, participatory narrative. The result is a tender yet unflinching portrayal of aging, fragility, and the resilience of human connection. While Iodice’s work shares thematic similarities with Alexander Zeldin’s *Care*, which is currently playing at London’s Young Vic, *Promemoria* distinguishes itself through its upbeat, hopeful tone, capturing the quiet dignity of those who persist despite their struggles.

Iodice, whose previous works have been staged in psychiatric hospitals, women’s prisons, and homeless shelters, brings a unique perspective to this project. His focus on marginalized communities has consistently underscored the strength found in vulnerability. In *Promemoria*, this theme is amplified by the setting itself—a place where the boundaries between the physical and the metaphysical blur. “What struck me most about these extraordinary actors was their incredible attachment to life,” Iodice explains in a recent interview. “Even in conditions of extreme vulnerability, they carry a fierce desire to be part of the world. I sought to pay tribute to this kind, gentle force.” The play’s authenticity lies in its ability to transform the mundane into the extraordinary, making the audience witnesses to the subtle beauty of everyday existence.

Alter Native: A Programme of Cultural Encounters

The biennale’s title, *Alter Native*, serves as a thematic anchor for the festival’s current direction. According to Dafoe, the term reflects the idea of cultural cross-pollination, where familiar elements engage in transformative dialogue with the unfamiliar. This concept is embodied in the programme’s diverse offerings, which range from the traditional to the avant-garde. The festival’s ability to balance these extremes—without sacrificing coherence—has been a hallmark of Dafoe’s leadership.

“It’s about moments when what we know meets what we don’t,” Dafoe says in a blockquote. “The title suggests that transformation is not just a goal, but a process that begins with these encounters.” The programme’s physical spaces also mirror this ethos, with venues like Teatro Verde offering an intimate, open-air setting that enhances the connection between performers and audiences. The location—situated on an island that separates Venice’s mainland from its lagoon—symbolizes both isolation and the possibility of new beginnings.

Voices of the Marginalized: A Central Theme

Across all of Dafoe’s selections, a recurring motif is the amplification of marginalized voices. This is most explicitly demonstrated in the awarding of the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement to Emma Dante, a Sicilian playwright renowned for her work on outcasts and social pariahs. Her acceptance speech at the biennale’s opening ceremony highlighted the festival’s mission to center stories often overlooked in mainstream narratives. “Art has the power to bridge the gap between the forgotten and the seen,” Dante remarked, her words echoing the festival’s broader commitment to inclusivity.

Dafoe’s programme also emphasizes the interplay between past and present, creating a sense of continuity and rebirth. The inclusion of works that draw from ancient Greek drama, such as *Cries*, underscores this theme, as the show’s blend of physical theatre and musical storytelling resurrects classical forms while addressing contemporary issues. Similarly, *Promemoria* offers a meditation on the cyclical nature of memory and identity, suggesting that even in the face of decline, there is a possibility of renewal.

As the biennale concludes, the impact of these diverse productions becomes clear. Each show, whether rooted in tradition or radical innovation, contributes to a collective conversation about what it means to belong, to endure, and to find meaning in the spaces where the extraordinary meets the ordinary. In a world increasingly defined by fragmentation and displacement, Dafoe’s programme stands as a testament to the enduring power of theatre to connect, transform, and inspire.

“What struck me most about these extraordinary actors was their incredible attachment to life, a strong desire to be part of it even in a condition of extreme vulnerability – a strength that gives strength.”

From the haunting echoes of ghosts in Richard Foreman’s earlier work to the vibrant, hopeful energy of Iodice’s *Promemoria*, the Venice Theatre Biennale this year has become a space where art and life intersect. The festival’s ability to evolve while staying true to its core mission—giving voice to the voiceless—has solidified its reputation as a beacon of cultural innovation. As audiences leave the venue, they are not only entertained but also challenged to reconsider the stories that shape their understanding of the world.