"A Study of Losses" by Kompani Giraff is a free interpretation of the German author Judith Schalansky's novel "Verzeichnis einiger Verluste", which, with magical realism, depicts life and history as a series of losses and disappearances. Realms crumble, buildings turn to ruins, cultural artifacts are destroyed, animals face extinction. Most losses remain unknown, precisely because they are lost. We gaze upon what we believe to be history, yet it is essentially a series of temporary preservations in a vast sea of losses. Through circus, contemporary magic, and object manipulation, there is a playful and choreographic exploration of the allure of what has been lost.
The performance is grounded in magical thinking – the notion that everything lost on Earth has found its way to the moon. Four circus artists and an array of forgotten everyday objects awaken in an atmospheric landscape where even objects carry memories, dreams, and phantom pains. The music, specially composed in close collaboration between Kompani Giraff and the American artist Beirut, plays a central role in the storytelling.
The performance is realized with the support of the Swedish Embassy in Prague.