Jan Lauwers . Needcompany

Who does not remember Jan Lauwers' 'Isabella's room'? This heartwarming performance gave everyone a real boost of energy ('we just go on and on and on'). It dealt with themes such as death, eroticism and violence, but without a hint of pessimism. In 'The Lobster Shop' Lauwers advocates the beauty of life however imperfect and unpredictable it may be. 'The Lobster Shop' tells the story of Axel, a forty-year-old biogenetic scientist. He is working on a new man who overcomes all fear, desire and even mortality. One day Axel loses his son. He is inconsolable, and his grief is devastating. When nothing gives him solace and his wife leaves him, he decides to kill himself and goes to his favourite restaurant to eat lobster for one last time. However, a trivial accident occurs (the waiter trips and the dish lands on Axel's white suit) and the evening takes an unexpected turn. In a split second Axel sees his life flash by. Lauwers uses this story as a cover for dealing with several topical themes such as religious conflicts, migration flows and genetic technology. It is a fine addition to Needcompany's rich record of achievements; in 2006 the company will celebrate its twentieth anniversary.