After its premiere at MoMA (New York) in May 2016, “In the Mood for Frankie” will be presented for the first time in a theatrical space, in a special adaptation for HAU1. Trajal Harrell continues his exploration of the butoh choreographer Tatsumi Hijikata's world. This time he turns towards the figure of the muse, both in Hijikata's work and in his own personal influences. Set on a stage inspired by a catwalk, this performance draws upon a diverse set of inspirations, including butoh dancer Yoko Ashikawa, modern dancer-choreographer Katherine Dunham, filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, fashion designer Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons, singer Sade, dancer and choreographer Ōno Kazuo, and Harrell's own working relationships with dancers Thibault Lac and Ondrej Vidlar, who will be on stage all three of them. In the artist's words, ‘In the Mood for Frankie’ spills out like a park of muses settled and unsettled between history and the imagination.”
Commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art (New York). Co-production: Singapore International Festival of the Arts.