As Copenhagen slowly opens its doors again, what better way to embrace the impending summer than with CPH Stage and its spirited mix of music performances, theatre and dance to help wake the city back up after a long slumber.
Text: Dawn Bruce
Pictures: CPH STAGE
From the 27th of May to the 5th of June, CPH Stage will bring the capital's stages to life once again across a multitude of spaces, from classic venues such as The Royal Theatre to fresh discoveries in the thespian world.
CPH STAGE began as the initiative of Copenhagen theatres GROB, Husets Teater, Theater V and Sort/Hvid and has been the bookend of the theatre season for eight years. It is the largest festival in Denmark for professional theatre and seeks to include productions from each corner of Denmark regardless of genre or production size - representation is the main focus.
Throughout its eight-year run, CPH Stage has been dedicated to inclusivity by providing a plethora of English speaking and non-verbal performances easily accessible for an English-speaking audience. In 2015 alone, the festival hosted 105 fully English events, and to this day, the festival remains devoted to its international mission, which seeks to connect people within the performing arts regardless of language.
2021's festival is no exception, explains Festival Director Morten Krogh: 'We recognise that Copenhagen is an international city and with our international performances and our accessible Danish performances, CPH STAGE is the place to go if you want to experience Danish and international performing arts at the highest level. However, if you are new to Denmark or to the theatre world, it can seem daunting to find out which performances are accessible to non-danish speakers. We have made a tremendous effort to make this easier.'
This year CPH Stage have selected 14 selected works for the CPH STAGE's International programme, which will be showcased from the 1st until the 4th of June. The works have been chosen by a jury based on an open-call CPH Stage International Programme, 6 of which will be showcased while 8 of them will be part of the pitch sessions.
"Performing arts tie us together" - Morten Krogh, CPH STAGE Director
This year demonstrates as varied a programme for internationals as ever with dance, drama and interactive experiences among the mix. Among the stand out performances on offer include 'ARSARSUAQ//SLETTEN / Home is Where My Heart is' - a multi-performance project established and directed by Hanne Trap Freeze, which deals with the realities of living in postcolonial Greenland. An especially relevant piece as 2021 marks the 300th year of invasion by Denmark.
The arts remain something that transcends most boundaries and offers a sense of belonging that ties us together- something Morten Krogh remains a firm believer of: 'We believe performing arts should be easily accessible to all regardless of language. Performing arts tie us together; they reflect our society and our everyday life, which– for all of us – is getting more and more international – Danish performing arts should not be restricted to Danish speaking audiences – that would be a loss both to the arts and the public.'
CPH STAGE runs from the 27th of May - the 5th of June.
Follow the link to see performances in English: https://www.the-intl.com/post/cph-stage-is-set-and-ready