Dancers, actors and musicians are already on the boards before the public can access the patio in which they are sitting. Dancers, musicians who speak, actors who laugh, are doing stretching exercises. All distension in these moments of tension.

The staging space is delimited in parallel by two lines of chairs. The actors have gradually put themselves in place. In the absence of two minutes for the start of the representation – the chronometer projected on the fabric has made it clear to us – the actors have risen and left the stage. The first notes of the melody Komunik-Inkomunikazio have been heard. The absurd and expressive words of Mikel Laboa are those of J.S. They mix with Bach's passion according to Matthew, a piece that still today can surprise anyone.

The tradition and contemporaneity, the linguistic style shown by Mikel Laboa, are present at all times in the play Communication-Inkomunikazioa of the Tanttanka theatre group and the dance company Kukai. This is the fourth job they have done together. 1937, On the paths of the Spirit (2002), Otehitzari birra (2005) and Hnuy Illa (2008). “To many this title will tell you something. We have taken it as a source of inspiration, prolonging the game we have learned to Mikel Laboa. Mikel Laboa looked in the eyes of communication, and we focused on the windows opened by this source of inspiration.” Thus he explained the essence of the work Mireia Gabilondo, colleague of Ttanttaka and director of the work. Individuals, collectivities, the world or the universe are in constant contact, in communication or in incommunication. For this purpose, different languages have been used in the representation. Although the main disciplines are music, movement and word, other languages such as Basque, Spanish, English, Polish or German are used in the show.

Nine interpreters (Aitor BELTRAN, Miren Gaztañaga, Eneko Gil, Helena Golab, Ibon Huarte, Alain Maya, Urko Mitxelena, Iñaki Telleria and Nerea Vesga) acted under the direction of the choreographer of the company Kukai Jon Maya. Outside the company, they have had the collaboration of two other dantzaris. One is Israel Galván. He is a flamenco dancer of origin, but based on contemporary art. The other is Kepa Artetxe, a very experienced Basque dancer.

The choreographer Jon Maya explained that “Communication - Incommunication has not come by chance, there are several factors that have influenced the presentation of this work. Kukai and Ttanttanka have been working together for 10 years, and along this road we have done and lived many things at once. On this occasion we wanted to transfer our work to another context. In addition to the usual dantzaris, we have brought other friends. After many years, it is a well done job.”

Incommunication as part of communication

Mikel Laboa's songs and traditional Basque music make up the soundtrack of this representation. In addition to Komunik-Inkomunikazio and Lekeitio, the pieces that will dance the actors are Lili bat (Mikel Laboa, Joseba Sarrionaindia), Denbora galduaren bila (Mikel Laboa), and Elgeta (Herritia, Andoitz Anzizar). Although Laboa's album was published in 1988, communicative incommunication premiered in 1977, at a concert by Luis Llach. A 25-minute song that left all the attendees open. “It was a great step for those of us who live it,” Mireia Gabilondo recalled in the presentation. “He taught us another way to communicate. Mikel didn't like the word incommunication, because he understood incommunication as part of communication. I was free to do and say what I wanted, without using clear words, because I was able to express a great deal. That’s what we wanted to do, to put our desires and fears in an empty scenario.”

Jon Maya, for his part, stressed that Laboa's work has been inspiring, but that it has acted freely. “As the singer did, this work also merges tradition and contemporaneity, especially when it comes to dance. They both live in a common space, traditional and contemporary dance, in which we have immersed ourselves. We start from traditional Basque dance to create a current job. One of the features of Kukai is to mix the traditional with the contemporary, but in this work we have gone further. We have sought a common space for all the expressions we have used.”

The choreographer attached has been Jone Martin, of the vanguard dance company Forsythe, with whom they have worked in the search for that common space.

Yesterday and today come together in this work, because time does not stop, experiences come together and desires come together. Communication Incommunication is a gesture to Biha. The play premiered at the Arriaga Theatre in Bilbao will be seen on March 21 at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre in Donostia-San Sebastián, and on April 12 at the Teatro Principal in Vitoria-Gasteiz.