Always the Same Lies 1991

Always the Same Lies (Immer das Selbe gelogen) is a full-length dance-theater work by Flemish artist Wim Vandekeybus for his eight-member company, Ultima Vez. It was co-produced by Addison De Wit of Belgium and The Arts Company of Cambridge, MA, along with five other international arts organizations. It premiered at Sommerszene in Salzburg, Austria, in July 1991 and toured to 10 cities in the US and Canada under the auspices of The Arts Company.

As with previous works, Vandekeybus based Always the Same Lies on a unique physical and visual vocabulary, this time on the actions and recollections of an 88-year-old German man named Carlo Wegener. Vandekeybus and Ultima Vez artistically amplified small events surrounding Wegener, capturing his “dual craziness and wisdom.” “Always the Same Lies is the joyful and generous gift of a soft and solitary old heart, tattooed by youth…hot and colorful,” according to La Libre Belgique. Wegener’s world is explored through a mixture of small stories, unconventional dance, idiosyncratic props – 720 brown eggs, a tapestry of women’s dresses, swinging chairs, a blaring boom box – and film projections which serve as a backdrop to the strong, intense physicality of the dancers/actors.

Vandekeybus’ work has always been described as “on the edge,” “evoking a sense of danger and tension” as well as being “reflective and ripe with emotional intensity.” At the time of creating Always the Same Lies, he had twice won a Bessie Award, and The New York Times characterized him as “one of the most original and powerful talents on the experimental scene.” The Village Voice said his international company, Ultima Vez, “is the best news to come out of Europe” based on the “daring and strength of its performers.” 

Belgian composer/musician Peter Vermeersch and his jazz/rock band X-Legged Sally collaborated with Wegener and vocalist Charo Calvo to create the soundtrack of Always the Same Lies.