INQUIRY
INQUIRY

The Dark Side of Music

Theater

The Dark Side of Music

Comedian and pianist Henry Camus of the Duo Full House plays the piano in his one-man-show “The Dark Side of Music”. Premiere at the Teatro Dimitri

Henry Camus (one half of Duo Full House) is once again on the road solo. He is a very talented jack-of-all-trades, but that is not enough for him. He wants to be a genius, like his great role models Bach, Prokofiev, Verdi, Satie and the rest. They say that great art comes from great pain, but unfortunately Henry has not suffered enough in his life to be such a genius. So he tries to put himself in the shoes of his suffering role models to discover the “Dark Side of Music” – a tragicomedy about the creation of music.

Henry Camus steps onto the stage, driven by a need, an urgency to play for his audience a singular piece, Prokofiev’s Sonata #7. Not to entertain, no, nor out of exhibitionism. He knows that within the emotions expressed by the composer in this work lies a message of vital and urgent importance.

But can he offer the audience an interpretation worthy of the piece? He, who leads a life diametrically opposed to the tragic circumstances Prokofiev found himself in when composing the Sonata? He, who was born in the land of the American dream and who can consider himself lucky and even happy?

This doubt prevents him from continuing his performance. So, he embarks on an exploration of man’s creative and interpretative ability. Is it truly necessary to suffer in everyday life to create art? And if so, what is the appropriate level of suffering?

The protagonist tries to put himself in the shoes of great artists who have left their mark on the history of music. He tries to wear their suffering to see if it fits him well, to understand if it is truly as essential as he feels it is in order to give the audience the proper interpretation of the much-desired Sonata #7.

To do this, he will take the audience on a journey filled with live music, physical theater, stand-up comedy, circus arts, and historical anecdotes. A fusion of genres to get to the heart of the dilemma surrounding the connection between suffering and creativity.

A plastic lobster will be the unexpected bearer of the answer.

Thank you to the DECS (Department of Education, Culture and Sport) and the Ernst Göhner Foundation for their generous support!