"Theater is united and this is what Sanja Mitrovic has shown with force in one of the most original proposals of the festival."

Do You Still Love Me? (2015)

A performance with 4 die-hard core football fans and 4 actors on stage

Two worlds – football and theatre – with seemingly not much in common. One is opium for the masses and a multibillion-dollar industry, whose legions of supporters and their network of organisations often act as a litmus test for society’s repressed mores: from nationalism and xenophobia to political violence and civil wars. Theatre, on the other hand, is one of fine arts whose liberal and enlightened ethos allegedly stands as counterbalance to such dangerous tendencies. What could ensue from a meeting of these two worlds? Have they anything to say to each other? In times when unprecedented economic inequality, anti-immigrant populism and disillusionment with political system steadily erode the fabric of society, can we recognise ourselves in others? Is there anything left to share between ever more dispersed and isolated enclaves of our fragmented communities?

Do You Still Love Me? examines the dramatic moments in which collective behaviour intertwines with the private sphere; it takes theatre and football as a twin lens through which to consider the notions of community and belonging, and the importance of love in its many complex and contradictory incarnations.

Four die-hard supporters of the local club Stade de Reims and four die-hard professional performers are brought together on stage to reflect on what it is they really believe in, and at what cost. Weaving their personal memories, anecdotes and opinions with fragments of theatre classics on love and passion, they create a series of situations in which both sides’ views are put under scrutiny and held up as mirrors to the passions and prejudices that underlie them. As they soldieron attempting to put themselves into each other’s shoes, the participants touch upon a range of subjects, from nationalism, family and religion, to propaganda, violence and racism, to broken hearts and the inevitability of hope.

After the premiere in France, Do You Still Love Me? toured the Netherlands and Belgium. The production had, so far, three different versions, each with supporters of local football clubs. In addition to Stade de Reims, these include Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise from Brussels. In 2016 a new version will be made together with the Olympique de Marseille supporters and it will open La Biennale des Ecritures du Réel on the 2nd of March 2016.

Cast And Credits

Concept, choreography and direction: Sanja Mitrović. Starring: Servane Ducorps, Cédric Eeckhout, Ina Geerts and Sid van Oerle and the supporters in FR (Stad de Reims): Jacques Poncelet, Dylan Charlot, Michel Cornillier, Romain Jacquet; supporters in NL (Feyenoord): Gert -Jan Kooreman, Janneke Dik, Silvia van der Mijn, Gerrit van Heemst; supporters in BE (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise): Kostas Pericaud, Dominique Piron, Sam De Leener, Gregory Uytterhaegen. Text:  Sanja Mitrović and Jorge Palinhos in collaboration with performers. Research and dramaturgy: Jorge Palinhos. Costumes: Frédérick Denis. Sound design: Vladimir Rakić. Camera and video design: Sanja Mitrović. Stage design consulting: Laurent Liefooghe. Light design: Stephane Lebonvallet. Technicians:  Jasper Hopman, Simon Scrive, Nicolas Menu, Samuel Mejean, Pascal Daubie, Cyrille Mole. Text edit and English translation: Siniša Mitrović. Text edit and translation French: Johanne Debat

Production direction: Ellen Decoodt (BE), Quentin Carissimo-Bertola (FR), Martha van Meegen (NL), Hedwig Koers (NL). Production management: Anneke Tonen (NL), Helga Baert (BE). Distribution:  La Comédie de Reims (FR), Theaterzaken Via Rudolphi (NL), Hiros (BE, INT), Stand Up Tall Productions (INT). Public relations : Anneke Tonen (Stand Up Tall Productions), Louise de Koning (Via Rudolphi), Saar van Laere (Hiros), Quentin Carissimo-Bertola (La Comédie). Assistant director: Annefleur Schep (FR), Hedwig Koers (NL), Dries Gijsels (BE). Production assistant: Aziyadé Baudouin-Talec. Do You Still Love Me? is a production of Stand Up Tall Productions (NL), La Comédie de Reims–CDN / Festival Reims Scènes d’Europe (FR), and Hiros (BE) In co-production with: STUK (BE), Beursschouwburg (BE) Sponsored by: The Amsterdam Fund for the Arts (NL), The Flemish Community (BE),  Performing Arts Fund (NL) Thanks to: Rotterdamse Schouwburg (NL), Pianofabriek (BE). Special thanks for the valuable contribution to the research: David Winner, Chris Keulemans, and all the supporters for their stories and memories

Press

  • “Mitrovic stelt belangwekkende vragen over menselijke thema’s en actuele gebeurtenissen. Niet als onderwijzeres die de wijsheid in pacht heeft. Maar als kunstenares die de toeschouwer met een hoofd vol associaties naar huis laat gaan".**** Leeuwarder Courant ed. Zuid (in NL), 03.04.2015
  • "The theater unites and this is what Sanja Mitrovic powerfully demonstrated in one of the most original proposals of the festival: Do You Still Love Me?. The artist of Serbian origin who lives and works between France, Belgium and the Netherlands brought together her troupe of actors and 4 football fans on the stage of the Comédie de Reims. Everyone tells their personal stories. Together, they retrace their life course, sometimes funny or more painful, driven by a passion for the boards or the round ball but above all a real desire for exchanges and otherness". ***** Toute La Culture (in ENG), 23.02.2015
  • "A succession of beautiful, sincere and sometimes funny moments; a performance that was made with a lot of love, both for theater and for football". Theaterkrant (in ENG), 09.03.2015