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Mimi's Shebeen

Alesandra Seutin | KVS | PERPODIUM
Thu 16 Oct 20:00 - 21:25
Thu 16 Oct 2025
20:00 - 21:25
  • Thu 16 Oct 2025
    20:00 - 21:25
    Koninklijke Schouwburg, Den Haag
    Main hall
    From Sun 18 May 2025 10:00

Mimi’s Shebeen is a new poetic dance theatre production by KVS face and artist Alesandra Seutin. Through dance, poetry, singing and music, Seutin takes the audience into the depths of a deconstructed shebeen* and on a journey full of life: of struggle, perseverance and determination.

this is a Mimi Shebeen
our house is her house
we come here, we rejoice and we cry


this is a Mimi Shebeen
people take their places with them
women do not need to be saved
if she ain’t your sister
she must be your aunt


this is a Mimi Shebeen
we dance, we discuss, we lay our lives down here
they can turn everything upside down
but not our smile


this is a Mimi Shebeen
everything is purple here
a life lived on the tips of our tongues
a promise a picture

Starting with the exile of South African singer Miriam Makeba from her own country, Seutin uses Makeba’s legacy as a political activist to convey stories of exile, immigration and humanity.

Mimi’s Shebeen will infuse the unique and unmistakable signature style of Seutin’s hybrid Dance Theatre. Lebo Mashile and Lisette Ma Neza provide the text, Angelo Moustapha and Zouratié Koné the music, and Tutu Puoane sings.


*What is a shebeen?
The apartheid regime forbade black South African people from drinking or talking about politics; they had to work above all else. In order to still be able to get together and relax, activists sought out underground huts and bars, complete with boys on the lookout and storerooms for supplies. There they brewed Umqombothi, or corn beer. If the police discovered a shebeen, they immediately closed it down and arrested anyone involved. Most shebeens are run by women, known as shebeen “queens”.

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Credits

CONCEPT & CHOREOGRAFIE / CONCEPT & CHORÉGRAPHIE / CONCEPT & CHOREOGRAPHY Alesandra Seutin MUZIEK / MUSIQUE / MUSIC Angelo Moustapha & Zouratié Koné TEKST / TEXTE / TEXT Lisette Ma Neza & Lebo Mashile PERFORMANCE / INTERPRÉTATION Tutu Puoane, Nandi Bhebhe, Kopano Maroga, Nosiphiwo Samente, Hendrickx Ntela/Shorlady Preciado, Elaisa van der Kust/Rose Sall Sao DRAMATURGIE / DRAMATURGY Gerardo Salinas SCENOGRAFIE / SCÉNOGRAPHIE / SCENOGRAPHY Stef Stessel ASSISTENTE SCENOGRAFIE / ASSISTENT SCENOGRAPHY Ine Van Bortel KOSTUUMS / COSTUMES Caroline Fainke SOUNDSCAPE / PAYSAGE SONORE Hans Mullens LIGHT DESIGN / CONCEPTION LUMIÈRES / LIGHTING DESIGN Margareta Andersen & Stef Stessel GELUIDSONTWERP / CONCEPTION SON / SOUND DESIGN Diederik De Cock STEMCOACH / COACH VOCAL / VOCAL COACH Randolph Matthews PRODUCTIELEIDING / DIRECTEUR DE PRODUCTION / PRODUCTION MANAGER Ella De Gregoriis ASSISTENT VAN DE CHOREOGRAAF / ASSISTANT·E DE LA CHORÉOGRAPHE / ASSISTANCE TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER Nandi Bhebhe MUZIKALE ONDERSTEUNING / SUPPORT MUSICAL / MUSICAL SUPPORT Tarang Cissokho ONDERZOEK / RECHERCHE / RESEARCH Kopano Maroga WORKSHOP FACILITATOR / FACILITEUR D'ATELIER Rokia Bamba BIJKOMENDE STEUN / SOUTIEN ADDITIONNELLE / ADDITIONAL SUPPORT Uprise Rebel BOVENTITELING / SURTITRAGE / SURTITLING Inge Floré VERTALING / TRADUCTION / TRANSLATION Anne Vanderschueren, Alex Stockman SPREIDING & TOURMANAGEMENT / DIFFUSION & DIRECTEUR·RICE DE TOURNÉE / DISTRIBUTION & TOUR DIRECTION Saskia Liénard PRODUCTIE / PRODUCTION Vocab Dance & KVS COPRODUCTIE / COPRODUCTION Perpodium, Sadler's Wells London MET DE STEUN VAN / AVEC LE SOUTIEN DE / WITH THE SUPPORT OF de Belgische Federale Overheid via Cronos Invest

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