

When I’m alone and I look in the mirror
the whole of mankind looks in over my shoulder
I am hardly ever alone
never really
it’s too bad
because then I could simply decide
I like this and I’m going to wear it
I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks
-don’t give a shit!
Zara and her friend Alister are trying to discover together what other people see when they look at them. They meet Viv, a distant relative and a famous fashion designer. As an artist Viv holds some eccentric views. She is not interested in any beauty ideal: true beauty lies in originality and this seems to be what she is looking for in the two friends. As they recover from their surprise, Viv seizes her opportunity: she wishes to have Zara as a model for her new collection and shows Alister the door. She is in for it now.
If only they knew…
The idea for Ribstuk (Ribs) arose from a young girl’s shame about her protruding ribs. To her these ribs became a horrific defect that she carefully covered up. Because the people around her never saw her problem, she started feeling anger alongside her shame, because no one ever understood her. The two adolescent friends in Ribstuk are insecure and are desperate to fit in. They try to emulate each other and the beauty ideal. Their self-consciousness about the way they look and their sexuality undermines their friendship and makes them susceptible to the appraisals of others.
With an independent view on people and the world around us Artemis creates plays around themes that are as relevant to young people as they are to adults. This season the company has departed from a new theme: autonomy and individuality.
