A day in the life of Dieudonné Kabongo
Everyone in Belgium knows this man from the Congo, Dieudonné Kabongo: actor, playwright, storyteller, comedian, television show host, musician and singer.
Zone02's cover dedicated to Dieudonné Kabongo.
© Hegel Goutier
As well known as this multi-talented performer is in Belgium and other French-speaking countries for his natural charm (including towards those he rebukes in his shows), deep voice and wrestler’s build, he is also famously modest. It is as if he is unaware of his fame and the fondness people feel towards him, even those who have never met him face-to-face. For me, a national rail strike wasn’t bad news at all. Instead of meeting Kabongo at the Théâtre du Manège in Mons, I made the journey with him by car, giving us another hour to talk.
Kabongo’s working day is due to begin with a costume fitting for the show he is rehearsing, but when we arrive, the director himself is there. And not just any director but THE master, THE magician – Dragone! Dieudonné Kabongo is working with Franco Dragone, the Belgian director who has conquered Las Vegas, California, Montreal and the rest as the creator of unique, gigantic spectacles.
The Disney Cinema Parade; “The Dream” in Las Vegas, marking the opening of the Wynn Hotel; Céline Dion’s mega-spectacle, “A New Day”; the exhibition at the Museum of Civilisation to mark the 400th anniversary of the city of Quebec, were all his creative works. And coming up in autumn 2009, the extravagance of “City of Dreams” in Macao, with a cast of hundreds if not thousands of gymnasts, acrobats, synchronised swimmers, tightrope walkers and visual artists.
Of course, it isn’t Kabongo’s way to draw attention to the recognition afforded him in this production, but while we are in the car he describes the role he plays in “Othello, passeur” (Othello the smuggler) – an Othello created for a contemporary story. In this version, Othello is a smuggler bringing illegal immigrants to Europe. However, he has the soul’ of Shakespeare’s Othello and renames his passengers as Shakespeare’s characters. Like the original, he’s in love with a girl – Desdemona-- and faces and confronts adversity, and knows what Othello’s destiny is. But as the modern-day tale unfolds, will he follow it or deviate from it?
And as we drive, he describes his own life. “For a long time, I was caught in a dilemma: was I an African and an artist, or an artist and an African? Trying to reconcile the two was extremely difficult for me, but little by little this became less important. Even the huge amount of effort needed to become recognised when you first arrive as an immigrant has faded from my thoughts because you move on. You just get on with your personal creativity.” His comments clearly sum up someone who is entranced and consumed by art in many different forms.
Although Kabongo is regarded as a national treasure in Belgium (especially in Brussels), where he has lived since 1970, he has never considered taking Belgian nationality. “It’s not for ideological reasons,” he says, “but simply because I’ve never seen myself as anything but Congolese.” He adds, “Having said that, it doesn’t bother me at all when the local press adopt me and label me a Belgian”.
In the Théâtre Le Manège in Mons, after many try-outs and ‘take fives,’ the costumes have been decided upon and rehearsals are finally beginning. Director Dragone wants to tighten up a few parts of the show, getting the ambience and positions right in the rehearsal room before moving to the full stage.
To begin, Kabongo runs through a dialogue with one of the actors. They both have trouble remembering their lines, but the moment they are on stage in front of Dragone, the words begin to flow.
Othello and Iago are there before us.
Come here IagoOthello, the men are complainingOnly the men?Don’t laugh, Othello, the women too, of course!What’s the matter with you, Iago, are you their messenger?I am with themAnd so?
As they recite their lines Dragone steps in, cajoling, suggesting and refining his expectations,stretching the performers, bidding them to create his vision.
Each break in rehearsal provides further opportunities to talk with Kabongo on art, life, the people he’s met, his career: a career that began in 1984 when he was just over 30, with “Méfiez-vous des tsé-tsé” (“Don’t trust the tsetse fly”), co-written with Mirko Popovitch, which won first prize at the Rochefort Comedy Festival.
My day with Dieudonné Kabongo ends around 2am, many hours after our return to Brussels. During that time he has talked about almost everything: successes, childhood, discovering his talent through his story-telling uncle “who did everything that others did – like Robert Lamoureux or Bourvil – but without the great resources they had at their disposal!”
He also talked about his self-taught apprenticeship in writing and the theatre after studying electromechanical engineering in Virton, Belgium. At that time Kabongo and others wanted learn professions that would allow them to help their country. Although that is long behind him, he also talks of his “constant training” – never ceasing to learn from everyone he meets, especially young people. As he says, “they refresh my way of seeing things.” At the beginning of his artistic career, the theatre taught him to communicate with young people; he made them laugh and they remembered his explanations.
But he avoids letting that role take him too far outside his own area of expertise and interest. Although he is an extremely well known face in Brussels he is careful to never get too involved. Not long ago following a serious incident in the Congolese quarter of Brussels where a young Congolese man died, he was asked to advise the bourgmestre (mayor) of the community concerned. But he admits to avoiding taking up roles like this because he prefers to promote culture, not break up fights. He concluded, “Culture is extraordinary. It is capable of performing miracles and preventing damage and destruction. That’s why it fills me with wonder.”
For Dieudonné Kabongo’s recent Theatre, Filmography, Discography visit, among others:
“Othello” Théâtre Le Manège (Mons, Belgium) From 9 to 12 January 2008 at 8.30pm, 13th at 4pm +32-(0)65/39.59.39 www.lemanege.com
Directed by Franco Dragone. Freely adapted from William Shakespeare by Yves Vasseur with Vincent Engel.
