Two bacteria wander across a stretch of skin. They read the traces left behind and recount what happened beneath the surface.

En peau de pêche unfolds a series of thoughts that together form a rhythmic poem — an unconventional song about being crossed out and crossing yourself out, about pushing away intrusive memories. About erasing what once was and cleansing what is. About what can happen to someone when ableist, racist, and sexist gazes and words take root beneath their skin.

A playful, colorful, musical performance. An intimate sharing that hopes to heal, to unravel what has become tangled. An inner world that gradually reveals more and more about the outer world.

The title En peau de pêche refers not only to the skin, but also to a type of velour tracksuit that was once popular among North African boys in France and Belgium (and with Dounia herself).

In the image, the word Beurette is crossed out, after this very term spent long enough crossing out people. This word, which carries both racist and sexist connotations, has long been used to erase people’s identities. Beur, or rebeu, is a racist French term for people born in Europe whose parents or grandparents immigrated from the Maghreb.

The feminine form, beurette, adds a sexist layer, particularly because of the fetishization of North African women. For years, the racial category beurette was among the most searched terms on porn sites in France.

If you’d like, I can also provide a slightly more poetic or critical tone, depending on what you want the translation to convey.

This performance hopes to connect with everyone: with individual needs, diverse backgrounds, and unique bodies. En peau de pêche aims to be sensory-friendly and chooses wheelchair-accessible venues.

Before the performance begins, information about accessibility is available at the reception desk. About half an hour before the show starts, you can speak with a staff member to explore the stage and meet the performers. A technician can demonstrate the brightest lights or loudest sounds. If you’d like to sit near the door, a seat can be reserved for you.

The performance runs for 50 minutes without an intermission. The doors to the theater open five minutes before the start.

The entire story is told in both spoken Dutch and Flemish Sign Language. To give the poetry of these languages space, not everything is translated or interpreted literally and simultaneously. At times the story is carried by Sign Language, at others by music, images, spoken words, or animated text.

We perform in an intimate, open setting. Moving in and out of the space, making sounds or moving around is not discouraged — the door is always ajar. Loud sounds or bright lights are avoided, but if they do occur, they are announced beforehand. There are staff members available to talk to, and a quiet space for anyone who needs to decompress.

The performance makes use of projections, music, and a fog machine.
 This work explores psychological challenges that result from discrimination. There is no explicit violence, but sensitive themes are touched on in a poetic way.

More information about these themes can be found in the relaxed pack, a document on the production’s webpage that includes details about accessibility initiatives: trigger and content warnings, a description of what to expect, a synopsis, photos, and an audio description of the performers and set.

This work aims to be a safe, flexible space for both the audience and the team involved. Our search for creative ways to make our work more accessible will continue beyond the premiere.

If you want, I can also adapt this to sound more inviting or keep some of the poetic phrasing. Let me know your preference!