LENA bruun BONDESON
theaterdirector, performing artist & producer
I create, perform and produce performing arts, either independently or as part of my nordic performing arts collective BRAVO TOGA . I work in the field between theater and dance and have fundraised and created performances in the free field since 2015 in the north.
I enjoy conceptualising and challenge the conventional theater setup by playing around with the experience of what is fiction and what is reality. Either by creating performances in alternative spaces outside the black box or by putting documentaries on stage. In other words, I do:
︎ Mockumentary-theater performances: blending live action with film screening in immersive setups.
︎ Squatting: translating an existing filmdocumentary into/onto stage as a fake larp (live action role play)
or creating contemporary, intimate or playfull performances in more classic ways
I enjoy collaborative and practice-based working methods. I have been part of several cross-sectorial projects combining practice and theory. During my MA in directing from the Danish National School of Performing Arts I did a two year long artistic research. I also have a BA in physical acting from Stockholm University of the Arts.
born 1988
she/her
danish - swedish
based in copenhagen & stockholm
︎ COLLECTIVES & COOPERATIVES
I am member in KOMMA Performance Productions (DK)
I am member & boardmember in the cooperative Interim Kultur (SE)
︎ BRAVO TOGA
My nordic performing arts collective BRAVO TOGA has been active since 2016 & consists of Anna Kuusamo from Finland, Lena Bondeson from Denmark & Sara Ribbenstedt from Sweden. We work with theater & dance & are situated as a cross-disciplinairy, humouristic & experimental collective in contemporary free field in Denmark, Finland & primary Sweden. ︎︎︎ WWW.BRAVOTOGA.COM
︎ ARTISTIC REASEARCH 2019 - 2022
During my two-year Artistic Research in directing at The Danish National School of Performing Arts, together with a team of 8 core-collaborators and several associated collaborators - I developed the method “squatting” and “sloppy immersion”. This was an approach to paraphrase a filmdocumentary onto stage. By filming ourselves role-playing a real documentary (about the heavy-metal band Metallica) we created our own fake documentary and turned it into a combined mockumentary showing and live larp-performance (live action role-playing) called Something Else Matters. Our methodology was described and theorized in participating performance-philosoher Dr. Phil. Jonas Schnor PhD dissertation - “Microdramaturgy - between Practice and Event: A Performance Philosophy“.
︎ Jacob Danielsson (1st), Adrienne Hayden (2nd & 3rd)