© Maarten Vanden Abeele


 

Peeping Tom

Peeping Tom is a Belgian dance theatre company, founded by Gabriela Carrizo (I/AR) and Franck Chartier (F). With Eurudike De Beul, who would become a frequent collaborator at the company, they created a first location project that took place in a trailer home, Caravana (1999).

An unstable universe

Everything in Peeping Tom's work starts from a hyperrealist setting. The space feels familiar, such as a garden, a living room and a basement in the first trilogy (Le Jardin, 2002; Le Salon, 2004; Le Sous Sol, 2007), two trailer homes in a snow-covered landscape in 32 rue Vandenbranden (2009) or a retirement home in Vader (2014).

The creators then break open this realism. They create an unstable universe that defies the logic of time, space and mood. You become the witness - or rather, the voyeur? - of what usually remains hidden and unsaid. Isolation leads to an unconscious world of nightmares, fears and desires, which the creators deftly use to shed light on the dark side of a character or a community. The huis clos of family situations remains for Peeping Tom a major source of creativity. Presented using a rich imagery, a fascinating battle arises against one's environment and against oneself.

New collaborations

Since 2013, Peeping Tom has started to develop productions with other companies and theatres. Gabriela Carrizo created The missing door (2013) with Nederlands Dans Theater. In 2015, she made The Land with Residenztheater in Munich.

Franck Chartier directed The lost room (2015) and The hidden floor (2017) with NDT I. In 2013, he worked on 33 rue Vandenbranden, an adaptation of Peeping Tom's original with the dancers of the Göteborg Opera. In 2018, Gabriela and Franck directed 31 rue Vandenbranden. This adaptation of Peeping Tom's show was created with the dancers of the Ballet de l'Opéra de Lyon and opened the Biennale de la Danse in Lyon.

Awards and nominations

2023 Best International Theatre Production - Premis de la Crítica (ES)
2023 Nomination for 'Best New Dance Production' - Olivier Awards (UK)
2022 Jovan Cirilov Award - Belgrade Dance Festival (RS)
2022 Prize for Best Contemporary Production of 2021 in Italy - Danza & Danza Magazine (IT)
2021 Winner FEDORA – VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Prize for Ballet 2021
2018 ‘Best theatre performance’ for Moeder at the Festival Internacional de Teatro y Artes de Calle in Valladolid (ES)
2017 ‘Herald Angel’ for The missing door at the Edinburgh International Festival (UK) (along with Stop-Motion and Shoot the moon by Paul Lightfoot and Sol León)
2016 ‘Swan most impressive dance production’ for The lost room (NL)
2015 ‘Best new dance production’ for 32 rue Vandenbranden at the Olivier Awards in London (UK)
2015 Selection for Het Theaterfestival with Vader (BE)
2015 Nomination ‘Best International Dance Production of 2015’ for A Louer at the Critics Awards in Barcelona (ES)
2014 ‘Best International Dance Production of 2014' for Vader at the Critics Awards in Barcelona (ES)
2014 ‘Best Dance Performance of the year 2014’ for Vader by Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad
2013 ‘Best Dance Performance of the year 2013’ for 32 rue Vandenbranden by Brazilian magazine Guia Folha (São Paulo)
2013 Nomination ‘Best Performance in a Foreign Language of 2013’ for A Louer at the Ubu awards (IT)
2012 Selection for Het Theaterfestival with A Louer (BE)
2007 Montblanc Young Directors Award for Le Salon at the Salzburg Festival (AT)
2007 Patrons Circle Award for Le Salon at the International Arts Festival Melbourne (AU)
2007 Selection for Het Theaterfestival with Le Sous Sol (BE)
2005 Prix du Meilleur Spectacle de Danse 2005 for Le Salon (FR)


With the support of the Flemish authorities


Website by Wies Hermans (Fuut)