Sandra Hüller to Lead Ivo van Hove and PJ Harvey’s I Want Absolute Beauty in Germany

Anatomy of a Fall Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller will star in the new play with music I Want Absolute Beauty, conceived and directed by Ivo van Hove.

Presented by the Ruhrtriennale Festival of the Arts, in the Ruhr region of Germany (Bochum, Duisburg, and Essen), I Want Absolute Beauty will feature songs by British singer-songwriter PJ Harvey and choreography by Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, and Arthur Harel of the dance collective (La)Horde. Performed in English with German subtitles, it runs August 16-30.

Described as “One woman. Her journey. Her decisions,” I Want Absolute Beauty is the story of a woman’s attempts to become her truest self, escaping from society’s expectations, and reinventing herself in every new encounter.

Huller will “sing and act” the leading role, alongside Louka Gailliez, Casper Tveteraas Hauge, Timothy Firmin, Tristan Sagon, Nahimana Vandenbussche, Luca Völkel, Evan Sagadencky, Emma Savoldelli-Harris, Jens van der Pijl, Efua Maria Aikins, and Sarah Abicht.

Van Hove’s creative team is made up of Jan Versweyveld (set and lighting), Christopher Ash (video), An D’Huys (costumes), Tom Gibbons (sound), Liesa Van der Aa (musical direction), Koen Tachelet (dramaturgy), and Jacquelyn Elder and Julien Monty (associate choreographers).