The madwoman in the attic
A solo by Gunilla Witt

Since 1990, Gunilla Witt has made herself a name as an original Nordic choreographer and poet with a number of successful solo performances. In a combination of minimalistic dance and poetry she explores different concepts and images of the female body.

The latest solo performance by Gunilla Witt was The madwoman in the attic which opened at Atalante, Göteborg in September 1998 and was also performed at Dansens Hus, Stockholm and at Dansstationen, Malmö during the spring of 1999. The dance solo formed the last part of a dance-poetic trilogy.

The madwoman in the attic is inspired by »Jane Eyre« (1847), written by the english novelist Charlotte Brontë. In the novel mrs. Rochester lives a hidden and forgotten life in the attic. Mrs. Rochester is not the only madwoman living in an attic in the female literature during the 1800's. What were the women actually doing up there under the roof? Women without words who in the novels existed alone, outside the family and the society. They actually did create »a room of their own«. Exciting!
The title is by the way already known to the theoretical feminists
(Gilbert & Gubar 1979).
Gunilla Witt

A woman is sitting alone in a room. The floor is covered with a veil of mist. Her green gown from 1850 in rustling satin covers the lower body and only her arms and face tell the story. The choreographer is sitting among the audience opposite the dancer talking to her, asking questions during the dance. The dancer answers with movements. The composer is playing the music live on stage on a grand piano.

The critics wrote about the performance:

Gunilla Witt has gone from strength to strength in her dance-poetic work.
It is a concentrate of artistic depth she now has staged.
Göteborgs-Posten

The dance has a presence and power that takes your breath away.
Sydsvenska Dagbladet, Malmö

It is the most minimalistic dance performance I have ever seen.
It´s like a violent thriller going on inside your head!
Helsingborgs Dagblad

This is dance and poetry at its best!
GöteborgsTidningen

Brilliant! An achievement!
Radio P4

The dancer Anna Westberg is drawing everyone´s eyes
to her emotional turmoil.
Expressen, Stockholm

The madwoman in the attic is the last piece in the solotrilogy on female identity by Gunilla Witt which started with Woman, installed (1994) and was followed by Perforate him! (1997).

The madwoman in the attic
Choreography & text Gunilla Witt
Dancer Anna Westberg
Music Niklas Rydén
Set design Marja Boqvist
Light design Anna Wemmert Clausen
Costume Ulrika Johansson
Producer Mika Becker
Length of performance 25 min
Première 9th September 1998