Halleluja emerges as a triumph in the Music Theatre Now competition, capturing our collective longing for joy and community in the bleakest of times. This music and voice theatre piece stands out for its innovative incorporation of non-professional local performers into a core team of artists, forming a transient yet vibrant community that embodies resilience through celebration. In a post-apocalyptic setting, the ensemble of human, animalistic, or possibly cyborg creatures, represents the tenacity of the human spirit, rejoicing as if it were the essence of life itself.

The piece’s exuberance in facing the end of the world is not just a performance but a radical act of claiming joy as an unassailable right. The performers, alongside a choir of local participants, create a utopian parade that transcends the boundaries of city and culture, embodying the hope and energy necessary for reconstruction. Halleluja is significant for its capacity to transform loss into a communal catharsis, advocating for the formation of new bonds in the face of global disillusionment.

In selecting Halleluja, the jury recognizes its powerful message: in the aftermath of devastation, the act of coming together to sing, dance, and celebrate life is not just an escape but a form of rebirth. This project’s importance lies in its ability to create a shared space of liberation and ecstasy, where collective effervescence becomes a means to heal and rekindle a sense of belonging. It is a testament to the role of music theatre as a catalyst for social and emotional rebuilding.

The end of time has arrived, time to cheer! A troop of creatures finds each other in a post-apocalyptic landscape. They are humans, animal creatures or perhaps cyborgs. What is certain is that the world has ended and there is only one thing left to do: celebrate life. The remaining community celebrates as if their lives depend on it. Cheering, they seek spirituality, destruction and their own breath. They hope for a new community, one of the here and now. Halleluja is a utopian parade that moves from city to city. An ad hoc community with a choir of local participants, singing and dancing, claim joy as a zone of freedom. By looking for connection, they find space to deal with loss, and the energy to rebuild what is missing.

Halleluja is a musical theatre show performed with 30 local people who form an ad hoc choir. During 5 days they come together to learn and practice the score of the show that centers around joy, celebration and community. On the 5th day they share this feast with the audience!

Concept and direction: Fleur Khani

Choreography: Benjamin Vandewalle

Produced by LOD, viernulvier, Concertgebouw Brugge, C-Takt, Monty, Brakke Grond, 30CC

Supported by the Flemish Government and Tax Shelter by the Belgian Federal Government.

May 11 2023 in Monty, Antwerp

Trailer