She felt free and realized that her freedom was a particularly miserable one. Why would anyone voluntarily enter a cage? Our hunger artist, a woman driven by ideals of endurance and self-sacrifice, pushes her body to the limit, yearning for recognition. In a society that promises liberation but simultaneously imposes visible and invisible limitations, she becomes trapped in precisely those beliefs that are supposed to grant her freedom. This performance can be seen at PleinTheater and is part of the Amsterdam Fringe Festival.
Make no false friends
Impressed by choice!
In this physical, urgent, yet playful performance, a dancer, a musician, and an interactive sound installation engage in a dialogue. Metal tubes transform from a cage into a maze of resonating pendulums.
Who is truly free? In a time when algorithms and social norms subtly steer our choices and complex realities are reduced to headlines, political polarization is increasing. With this work, we create space for reflection where words alone sometimes fall short.
Hunger artists were a phenomenon in the 19th century: they fasted in cages while the public watched them as a form of entertainment.
About the creators
Isa Schmidbauer – contemporary dancer and choreographer – loves movement and seeks expressive forms of expression. Isa completed her bachelor's degree at the HfMT in Cologne, where she collaborated with choreographers such as Tamara Gvozdanović, Gustavo Gómez, Sade Mamedova, Anton Lachky, and Sigal Zouk. She has performed in theatre productions and independent scene projects, including at the Rozbark Theater and Theater Münster. She has also acted in film projects and is exploring acting. She worked as a directing assistant for Opera Spanga, in collaboration with Ivgi & Greben. Her own works have been performed and developed at CCD Cologne, Splendor Amsterdam, and the Auftakt Festival in Cologne.
Jón Kleinehanding – singer and sound artist – creates unexpected live experiences, breaking the laws of nature with innovative soundscapes and sound installations. Jón studied jazz guitar at the FÍH Reykjavík before completing a degree in jazz/pop vocal pedagogy at the HfMT Cologne. Throughout his career, Jón has collaborated closely with sound artists Rochus Aust and Verena Baré during various Soirée Soniques and the Centre Court Festival in Cologne. He was curator for Containerklang #22, an annual event for contemporary music by emerging artists. As a choir singer, he has performed in opera houses such as MIR Gelsenkirchen and Staatstheater Darmstra.
Amsterdam Fringe Festival
Every year in September, the Amsterdam Fringe Festival presents an 11-day mixmash of theater, performance, and dance by new, emerging, and untamed talent.
We present a multidisciplinary program featuring over 55 makers/groups with diverse backgrounds, origins, and futures. Our showcase festival is a haven for experimentation and offers a stage to new makers and stories. Amsterdam Fringe Festival is an ode to theatrical madness, the independent spirit, and a plea for artistic freedom. A big, heartfelt embrace of experimentation in the truest sense of the word: one whose outcome can still truly surprise you.
The entire city is our playground; from garden to bar to theater, from North to South, you will find us for 11 days at around 23 locations spread throughout Amsterdam.
