Pitcho on The Light That Never Goes Out
During The Light That Never Goes Out, KVS will let ten visitors at a time take a seat in its empty auditorium. Every twenty minutes another artist takes to the stage to present their performance by the ghost light. An intimate and unique experience, featuring artists of the likes of Pitcho Womba Konga.
What does it mean to you to be alone on stage for such an intimate audience?
“Such a direct contact with the audience is a privilege to me. The intimacy will depend on what I want to share with the audience. Of course, you perform differently to such a small group.
I have often felt like it was easier to play for a thousand people than for only ten.
Maybe because the more people there are, the less you perceive the individual. The audience becomes one, it forms a unit. It is as if the mass of eyes becomes one eye, the eye of the storm. In meteorology, the eye of the storm – contrary to what people think – is normally a zone of peace and quiet. It’s the place that experiences the least impact of all the turbulence around. Maybe that’s also the reason I feel I don’t need to try as hard when the audience is larger. And there will be a difference in intensity, because the energy of the artist is shared and spread across a smaller number of people.”
Can you share anything yet about what you intend to show the audience?
“From my background as a rapper and urban poet, I consider words and music essential elements in my artistic approach. So I think I will be bringing a mix of text and musical support. I will take the audience on a poetic journey based on some texts from L’expérience Pi, a project I usually perform together with musicians from the ensemble Musiques Nouvelles. This will have to be a special edition, since I will only be accompanied by my own words on stage.”
Were you aware of the concept of the ghost light?
“Yes, it’s that small lamp you can find in every theatre that is always lit, even when no one is there. It’s as if the stage never sleeps, it forms a safe haven, always ready to welcome artists and audience.”
You are one of many artists taking part in The Light That Never Goes Out. What made you decide to take up the invitation?
“I am an optimist by nature, so when I was asked to join the project several months ago, I assumed the corona measures would be nothing more than a distant memory of a bad dream by now. It nonetheless seemed interesting to explore the possibilities of performing a small scene for a limited audience. As time went on and the situation remained the same, this project became a necessity for me. A way to feel alive, because for me being alive means getting the chance to do what you love and connecting to the people around you. I hope I can use this time to create a sort of vacuum for myself and the audience, one where we forget the face masks and experience a tangible moment of hope together.”