12 October 2016

States of Uncertainty
Theatre and Dance from Tunisia, Poland, Italy, Iran and Iraq

22 – 30 October 2016, Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg

As part of the main autumn programme “Uncertain States. Artistic Strategies in States of Emergency”, the Akademie der Künste has invited theatre and dance productions from Tunisia, Poland, Italy, Iran and Iraq to Berlin. In the “States of Uncertainty” stage programme, their works combine to offer a reflection on theatre in times of deep-rooted change. The performances are accompanied by discussions with the artists.

Meriam Bousselmi is regarded as one of the leading voices in the new generation of contemporary theatre in Tunisia. In her monologue play What the Dictator didn’t say with actor Lassaad Jamoussi, she addresses the illusion of the Arab Spring – from the perspective of a nameless ex-dictator. Bousselmi and Jamoussi are also calling for the protection of artists in African states and, after the performance, they discuss the statement which they hope to present to the United Nations.

The work of the Warsaw artists’ group Strefa WolnoSłowa has a particular significance for cultural policies in a society largely reacting adversely to the wave of refugees coming to Europe. The group brings new aspects into the discussion over flight and escape, calling for the histories of refugees to be included in the narrative of European history. Two theatre productions with refugees and migrants from their “European History Atlas” project are being shown in the Akademie: I have drawn more than you can see here, their own production describing post- war history from Polish and migrant perspectives, and the physical, visually expressive work Acrobats … or the art of escape by Cantieri Meticci from Bologna.

Since dance in Iran is quickly condemned as an offence against morality leading to conflicts with the authorities, many dancers can only work underground. Berlin choreographer Modjgan Hashemian is in contact with the Iranian dance scene, and in bodytext, staged with an ensemble of Iranian dancers, she explores the explosive power of writing, graffiti and calligraphy in public space. Together with two artists from Bagdad, Modjgan Hashemian also developed the lecture performance in_visible addressing the experiences of women in confinement.

Programme:

Saturday 22 Oct, 7 pm
Meriam Bousselmi
What the Dictator didn’t say
Monologue play by Meriam Bousselmi with Lassaad Jamoussi, Tunis.
French with German surtitles
Followed by Artist Talk in English

Tuesday 25 Oct, 5 pm
European History Atlas Under Construction
Artist Talk with Alicja Borkowska (Strefa WolnoSłowa), Joanna Krawczyk (Evens Foundation), Pietro Floridia (Cantieri Meticci). In English

Tuesday 25 Oct, 7 pm
Atlas Project / Cantieri Meticci
Acrobats … or the art of escape
Staged by Pietro Floridia with an ensemble of 15 actors and eight musicians from Bologna. Italian with English surtitles

Wednesday 26 Oct, 7 pm
Atlas Project / Strefa WolnoSłowa
I have drawn more than you can see here
Staged by Alicja Borkowska with a Warsaw ensemble of several generations of migrants. Polish with English translation

Saturday 29 Oct, 7 pm
Sunday 30 Oct, 7 pm
bodytext / in_visible
Dance / Lecture Performance
bodytext by Modjgan Hashemian with Ashkan Afsharian, Kaveh Ghaemi, Elahe Moonesi. / in_visible by and with Labwa Saleh, Modjgan Hashemian, Aya Mansour. Arabic with English surtitles
Followed by a discussion in English

Event location:
Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg 10, 10557 Berlin, Tel. 030 200 57 2000

Press tickets: Tel. 030 200 57-1514, presse@adk.de