Jury Statement

Antiwords is a work that manages to embody political themes such as power, submission, surveillance, and compromise with remarkable effectiveness, relying on minimal verbal language and primarily using the performers' bodies. Without resorting to explanations or an abundance of dialogue, the production clearly exposes the mechanisms behind how power is constructed and operated, while developing a universal stage language capable of reaching audiences across different cultures and languages. In society, everyone occupies various positions at different times. Depending on the circumstances, we can become the most vulnerable, yet also exercise a form of power over others. Antiwords manages to make this mobility of power dynamics visible through the use of monumental masks and rigorous physical work based on the repetition of gestures and movements. Casting two actresses in these roles proves to be a particularly astute directorial choice. From the opening scenes, the intentionally slapstick gestures surrounding the serving of beer make the audience laugh while leading them to naturally accept these performers as male characters. Once the imposing masks are in place, the audience's attention shifts away from the actresses' gender to focus entirely on the characters and the power dynamics they embody. Conversely, when the performers remove their masks and actually drink beer, a distance re-emerges between character and actor. This device subtly reveals the extent to which social roles and positions of power can be constructed, transformed, or deconstructed. At the start of the show, the repetition of gestures, the endless drinking of beer, and trips back and forth to the restroom act as comedic devices that provoke laughter. But as these actions repeat, laughter gradually gives way to tension and unease. What initially seemed absurd or grotesque reveals itself as a ritual designed to maintain a dynamic of domination and control. The direction's ability to shift the audience's emotions from laughter to discomfort through a principle as simple as repetition demonstrates great dramaturgical mastery. The scenes where characters constantly invite each other to drink, refuse, and then insist again reflect familiar situations from our daily lives. What begins as a friendly gesture slowly turns into a social pressure that is hard to resist; pleasure then becomes an instrument of power. Without ever resorting to an explicit political lecture, the show allows the audience to directly experience the mechanisms of everyday violence through rhythm, the body, and repetition. Without relying on spectacular scenography, complex technical devices, or flashy lighting effects, Antiwords builds a highly effective theatrical language out of the performers' bodies, objects, and rhythm. By intelligently blending humor and anxiety, satire and social critique, the direction forcefully reveals how power is constructed and exercised in everyday life. Through its ability to transcend language barriers and communicate solely through the tools of the theater, this creation demonstrates a remarkable mastery of the art of directing.