Let's Be Real

Are we still in charge of our own life, online and offline? Or is AI slowly taking over? For young adults from 14 years old.

Who am I? We walk around in a world where social media and AI are increasingly fuelling the answer to that question. We are overwhelmed by a stream of perfect pictures, often moment-to-moment images generated by algorithms that urge everyone to think and act the same. But who is hiding behind the curtain of likes, filters and followers? 

Let's Be Real fuses electronic beats, pop music and contemporary classical music into a resounding technological performance that explores and dares to question our (online) identity. What does this flood of illusions do to our self-image? What can we learn from a life online? And can the virtual bring us closer together again? Soprano Esther-Elisabeth Rispens and percussionist Wim Pelgrims, together Goggles, lead the audience through a labyrinth of screens in which AI as a third character musically supports them. Composed and directed by Jonathan Bonny and with visuals by Jonas Beerts, this performance asks questions about our 'realness’ within the online universe in which we all venture.

Let's Be Real is for those who are curious about the impact of social media on our daily lives, for those who look for themselves online, sometimes lose themselves, and even sometimes find themselves in the most unexpected ways.

Credits

• Concept I Performers • Esther-Elisabeth Rispens (zang) / Wim Pelgrims (percussie)
• Composition | Direction • Jonathan Bonny
• Texts • Jonathan Bonny / Rineke Roosenboom / Ylona Supèr
• Artistic advice • Aïda Gabriëls
• Visuals • Jonas Beerts
• Choreography • Manuel Kiros Paolini
• Set design | Lighting design • Peter Quasters
• Production manager • Veerle Vervoort
• Sound design • Pieter-Jan Buelens