Empire of a Faun Imaginary (Simone Mousset Projects, 2022)

premiere December 9th, 10th, 11th 2022, Escher Theater, Luxembourg


Combining an interest in vocal work, visual art, and bodies in movement, Empire of a Faun Imaginary is a melancholic world in search of the miraculous, that explores the claustrophobic potential of onwardness, in reaction with qualities of the eerie, the still, and the slow. Tussling with an existential difficulty to see value in things, Empire of a Faun Imaginary investigates the human brain’s capacity to undo itself, as well as loneliness, hunger, restlessness, sadness, the pursuit of fear, and the notion that only death has any clear value.

It is a loud unheard cry.

And it is also, almost, a challenge.


artistic director- Simone Mousset

performers- Tasha Hess-Neustadt, Lewys Holt, Eevi Kinnunen, Hannah Parsons

artistic companion- Neil Callaghan

dramaturg- Lou Cope

lighting designer- Seth Rook Williams

sound designer- Alberto Ruiz Soler

scenographer and costume designer- Lydia Sonderegger

voice workshopping and vocal composition- Jamie McCarthy

cultural theorist (research)- Macon Holt

producer- Vasanthi Argouin

administrator- Cathy Modert

With the support of Les Indépendances (Développement France)

production- Simone Mousset Projects

coproduction- Escher Theater (LU) ; Esch 2022 Capitale européenne de la Culture (LU) ; POLE-SUD, Centre de Développement Chorégraphique National, Strasbourg (FR) ; Centre Chorégraphique National de Nantes (FR) ; KLAP Maison pour la danse (FR) ; Les Hivernales – CDCN d’Avignon (FR) ; Atelier de Paris / CDCN (FR) ; Centre Chorégraphique National de Rillieux-la-Pape, direction Yuval PICK (FR)

soutien- TROIS C-L – Centre de Création Chorégraphique Luxembourgeois (LU) ; Fondation Indépendance by BIL (LU) ; CN D Centre national de la danse dans le cadre du dispositif Artistes en expérimentation au CN D à Lyon (FR)

Commissioned by The Place (GB)

Résidence en simple prêt à La Briqueterie – CDCN du Val-de-Marne

With thanks to LCDS Costume Department

Simone Mousset Projects est conventionnée avec le ministère de la Culture

Simone Mousset est artiste associée au Escher Theater (LU) et à The Place (GB), et accompagnée par la Fondation Cléo Thiberge Edrom (FR)


Spring 2023 Tour:

  • 16 February 2023, Les Hivernales CDCN (FR)

  • 28 February, The Place (UK)

  • 29 March 2023, Le Grand Bain, Le Gymnase CDCN (FR)

  • 13 April 2023, KLAP Maison pour la danse/Théâtre Joliette (FR)

  • 3 June 2023, Talent Lab Luxembourg, Grande Theatre du Luxembourg

  • 6 June 2023, June Events, Atelier de Paris (FR)

teaser trailer & photos - Camilla Greenwell Photography

performance photos - Sven Becker