Harms fault!Nonsense theatrical puppet concert on prepared accordion, length 50 min

The new solo performance by Matija Solce, "Harms Fault!", combines object-based theater of the absurd with a live concert. It draws inspiration from the works of Daniil Harms, one of the last representatives of Russian avant-garde in the 1930s and brings his artistic struggle into a contemporary context by challenging and provoking stereotypes with absurd situations.

The central stage object is an original multifunctional instrument, built from parts of several accordions in combination with MIDI technology and analog mechanisms. The nonsense one-man musical serves as the musical trigger for actions and, at the same time, the scenic foundation for puppet scenes full of hits, screams, sounds, falls, slaps and unexpected events. The unpredictable stories, connected with Charms’ “Old Woman'' will transform from atmospheric puppet theater into sarcastic executions of gentle characters, creating a juxtaposition of moods and themes. The audience will witness the magic of creating visual, sound and figurative illusion and its deconstruction at every step of the show.

Premiere: 9 October 2023, Tunnel LGL

The project was supported by: the Ministry of Culture and the City of Ljubljana

Thanks: Dušan Drobnič, Marijan Totter and Polona Černe

Matija Solce, a renowned and award-winning puppet director, actor, puppeteer and musician, holds a PhD from the DAMU Academy in Prague. His work closely intertwines music and theatre, so his puppet performances are also interactive musical compositions. Often in the form of object theatre, they contain precise rhythmic animation with a fragmented dramaturgy, through which the audience becomes part of the theatrical experiment and is constantly in the process of discovering the unexpected.