Underground Birds

In 1517 London is shaken by the revolt of young people who object to their work being done by others. They protest against the immigration of Flemish watchmakers and workers from France who bring a new time to the city. The flames of revolt shatter the windows of the newcomers like flocks of birds. Suddenly, under the shower of exploding windows, the mysterious guardian bird Simorgh appears. It spreads its broad wings - in the form of Azar and his sisters. Somewhere, behind truth and self-knowledge, it is said to have built its nest. A splinter pierces the heart of a young London artisan and sets it on fire. He embarks on a long and arduous journey across the seven mountains and seven seas until he reaches Azar, driven by the desire to love her and to escape the violent unrest in his homeland. In 2022, Azar and his sisters are also trying to escape the Afghan underground, where they have been hoping to escape the Taliban and arranged marriages for months. With the power of their imagination they set off towards the place of their desire, which for them means salvation, without knowing how soon they will reach it. "Underground Birds" is a performance with transnational and transcultural development. Over twenty artists from Norway, France, Israel, Italy, South Tyrol and Afghanistan embark on a common artistic journey: in times of war, they bring a great love story to life through a collective creative process. Through play, the project seeks to build bridges where rifts open up in society, where fear and insecurity guide our actions and web posts narrow discourse.