Veerle Baetens & Bo Spaenc

On stage stand a woman and a man. Together they tell the story of one figure - so layered and colorful, that it seems as if there are multiple characters present. That lively scene contrasts sharply with the isolated bubble in which the main character has withdrawn. Outside, the world is too fast, too loud, too demanding. Inside, routine prevails: hey Google, YouTube, ChatGPT. Inside, she is free - Empress in her own empire, untouchable and unapproachable. Until the door is left ajar. Disconnected, the question arises: does she dare to face the confrontation? Here, Ik Als Keizerin is inspired by the hikikomori phenomenon, by the loneliness economy, and by the desire to escape from a world that we can no longer keep up with, but which we miss at the same time. Veerle Baetens, internationally acclaimed actress and filmmaker, returns to the stage with this performance. Met Bo Spaenc, who provides a live rebuttal with a quirky musical world, creates music theater in which word, song, and instruments contradict and reinforce each other.