Power, politics, and participation take the stage for ‘Fight Night’
Power, politics, and participation take the stage for “Fight Night,” a provocative and interactive theatrical experience that puts democracy directly in the hands of the audience. This innovative production by Belgian performance group Ontroerend Goed challenges the boundaries of traditional theater by turning the spectators into active participants.
The Moss Arts Center presents two performances of “Fight Night” on Tuesday, Sept. 17, and Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Fortuitously coinciding with U.S. presidential election season, “Fight Night” blends elements of live debate, reality TV, and social experiments, immersing the audience in a fictional election. Armed with a real-time voting keypad, the audience decides who stays and who goes, which makes every performance unique. This process ultimately exposes the manipulative tactics, charisma, and human psychology that drive real-world elections.
Only one candidate will survive the relentless series of eliminations, and they apply all possible tactics and strategies to assure their victory. As in mediatized political campaigns, polls and predictions, debates and charm offensives challenge the voters’ loyalty and common sense, in the end toppling their notion of free choice.
There are no political statements in “Fight Night,” only a sharp, witty, completely entertaining analysis of how democracy works. The candidates don’t voice a particular ideology, nor do they comment on social issues or economic realities. By stripping their discourse of identifiable political messages, the show draws attention to the very reasons and motivations that compel voters to vote. What is at stake is the way the concept of “rule of the people” is put into practice in contemporary democratic societies. “Fight Night” illustrates how content and ideas are only relevant if they make a difference in statistics and increase the chance to gain power through numbers.
Created in 2013, “Fight Night” has toured the world, playing from Australia and Belgium to Canada, from Hong Kong to Switzerland. Remakes were made in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey, while a French version toured Europe. One of the most popular shows in Ontroerend Goed’s repertoire, the company updated the performance in 2024 to correspond with the changing political climate.
Ontroerend Goed — a punning name, roughly translated as “Feel Estate” — produces self-devised work grounded in the here and now, inviting its audiences to participate as well as observe.
Related events
Following each performance of “Fight Night,” audience members can speak with Angelo Tijssens, artistic lead on the project, about the development of the production during a post-performance question-and-answer session.
During their visit to Blacksburg, members of Ontroerend Goed will visit an international relations class to engage students in a conversation about democratic theory and its manifestations around the world, and will connect with students in Studio 72, Rhizome, and Innovate living-learning communities for a dinnertime discussion about the theatre company’s diverse, boundary-pushing work.
Tickets
Tickets for the performance are $30 for general admission and $10 for students and youth 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased online; at the Moss Arts Center's box office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; or by calling 540-231-5300 during box office hours.
Venue and parking information
The performance will be held in the center’s Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Street and Davis Performance Hall at 190 Alumni Mall. Convenient parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street and in downtown Blacksburg. Find more parking details online.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Jamie Wiggert at least 10 days prior to the event at 540-231-5300 or email wiggertj@vt.edu during regular business hours.
