In a transit boundary between real life and stage, visual artist Laura Eager is learning to become a Taxi driver, with theatre maker Rosa directing the act. In this performative documentary, Laura and Rosa investigate the public and private entries of a taxi, its liminality and movement between destinations, and the encounters between a driver and a passenger. What is shared at this moment, how do they perceive one another, and what effect does the geographic/political landscape have.

During their residency, Laura drives around Kortrijk and invites numerous real taxi drivers to be her passengers. In a 20 minute ride, the same script will always play out differently, as they seek to uncover what it takes to play the role of a taxi driver or passenger and how they perceive one another in the acts. Through film, audio and performance, they document the happenings that take place in the car.

lauraeager.info

Laura Eager (UK) & Rosa Gooij (NL)

Laura Eager is a performing artist, originally from England and currently based in Amsterdam, where In 2023 she graduated from the Audio Visual department at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Laura’s artistic practice uses performative scenarios, films and audio works, to research the relationship between the spectator, director and performer at the intersection between real life and ‘stage’, fusing public spaces with white cubes, or black boxes. Her projects evolve through the staged encounters and performative happenings that she places herself and others in, to explore the borders of what is public and private, reality and fiction, and uncover the perceptions of the everyday.

Rosa Gooij is an Amsterdam born and raised theatre maker, performer and teacher. In 2023 she graduated from the bachelor theatre teacher at the Amsterdam University of the Arts. Her work can be found in the city streets, landscapes, festivals and night culture. Her collective ‘Digidiheu’ brings freaky magical performances, infiltrates the mostly festive crowd with playful interactive puppetry rituals and stories. With ‘groep Horizon’ she combines installation art with location theatre, inhabiting landscapes and building focused experiences for their audiences She is also part of ‘De Slapelozen’ an Amsterdam based theatre group, working in community centres, retirement homes, and pop ups in street life.