Tue Biering is the director of Dark Noon – a brutal reimagining of the history of America coming to Aviva Studios in March 2024. We discuss the play's themes and the importance of creative space in times of upheaval.

Want to find out more about the show and the brilliant creatives behind it? Read our interview with co-director Nhlanhla Mahlangu here.

What do you think the role of art is in times of upheaval? 

Continue to be inquisitive and never prejudicial. Trying to understand and convey the motivations of very different people and give them a voice. And at the same time, there are times of upheaval when you have to stand firm on fundamental values such as equality and humanity and, with art, fight for freedom for those who are right next to us and those who are far away and need to be heard.

Why is important for you to make art against the backdrop of the current moment?

Personally, I am so influenced by my contemporaries that it is natural that my work is concerned with it. But most often I see the present and what is happening right now as part of a process and therefore also with a historical perspective. Our past is constantly creating and influencing our present.

What issues does Dark Noon address and how?

Dark Noon is really a multi-layered story. You can read historical European migration in it, you can read South African history, you can see some very basic human mechanisms at play, about survival, ambitions and growth as the virus of human civilization.

What art do you return to in difficult times?

It depends a lot on my condition. I really like going to exhibitions because I can create my own time for reflection. I can zoom in and out as I like. It can be [a] painting, photo, sculpture, installation. The important thing is that I can be there with myself. But at the same time, the performing arts is the necessary space in difficult times. Where we are with others, where we are not alone.

What makes you feel empowered? 

When I experience that others struggle with the same things as me. When I see that they have the same faults and weaknesses as me. When I feel that I am not alone.

Can you remember a time where a piece of art shifted your perspective? And how? 

When I was young, I read a book which made me realize that we are all made up of stories and we all have a DNA of narratives. And in the same way as genetic manipulation, we as artists can help change other people's DNA – the DNA which is the story of how the world looks and how it works.

Is there an artist/collective who is speaking or responding to the current moment that you admire?

Yes, but there are quite a lot of them, so I won't be able to choose any over others. I think art today is extremely developing and involving.

Is there a song that inspires and drives you forward?

I don't have any particular songs, but I love hearing my children sing, the songs they listen to.