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  • Performance
  • World premiere

Laborious Walk

Ely Daou
Date
Thu May 22 12:30-18:30, Fri May 23 13:00-19:00, Sat May 24 13:00-19:00 and Sun May 25 13:00-19:00
Location
Each day this performance has a different outdoor location: Thursday May 22 square in front of Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Friday May 23 Janskerkhof, Saturday May 24 Mariaplaats and Sunday May 25 Domplein
Duration
This performance works with time slots
Language
English, Spanish, French and Arabic
Price
Pay what you want
+ € 0,25 per transaction
Themes
(De)colonised bodies, Fatigue bodies - exhausted minds, Slowing down, New technologies
Edition
SPRING 2025
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There will be a walk during the show.

For six consecutive hours each day, Ely Daou walks in loops through various locations in the public space of Utrecht, engaging in one-on-one conversations with passersby in English, French, Spanish or Arabic. You can listen in through headphones, experiencing moments of connection, (dis)connection, isolation, and the ever-shifting rhythm of the city.

Laborious Walk is a six-hour durational performance intertwining verbal exchange, physical movement, and the human experience. The artist continuously walks a circular route, engaging in unscripted one-on-one conversations with participants from the public who choose to join him along the way.

These dialogues can take place in English, French, Arabic, or Spanish. Participants are free to initiate and steer the conversation, whether it’s about everyday topics, deep philosophical questions, or personal inquiries directed at the artist. Walking and talking mirror the search for connection, yet the fleeting, individual nature of each exchange may also evoke a sense of isolation.

Observers witness the interactions from a distance and can tune in via a live audio link—both at the performance site and from anywhere in the world. The artist’s breathing, the rhythm of footsteps, and the pauses between words all become part of an evolving soundscape. For those unfamiliar with the spoken language, vocal tone, silence, and gestures create a layered listening experience, inviting imagination and interpretation.

The title, Laborious Walk, suggests both physical effort and existential contemplation. The continuous circular movement recalls the myth of Sisyphus—endlessly pushing a boulder uphill—reflecting on the repetition of daily life. Despite the seemingly aimless movement, each step is a deliberate act, resisting monotony and questioning the meaning of routine.

By navigating themes of work, communication, and human interaction, Laborious Walk becomes a microcosm of the human condition. The performance blurs the boundaries between public and private: each conversation remains intimate yet contributes to a larger shared experience of connection and vulnerability. The audience is free to come and go throughout the six hours, allowing the performance to remain fluid and ever-changing.

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Artist

Ely Daou

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