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In-person participation: Booking essential. Show general admission pass on entry. – Number of places: 6
Online participation: Please access the event via the link sent upon your reservation.
Artist Susanne Kennedy’s singular aesthetic and approach introduce a fresh current to the anthropocentric (male-centric) perspectives that ground Western theater norms and creative techniques. In recent years, she has frequently worked with the Volksbühne Berlin and the Munich Kammerspiele, presenting significant works featuring women through a post-humanistic lens such as Women in Trouble (2017), The Virgin Suicides (2017), and Three Sisters (2019). Her co-productions with visual artist Markus Selg, Coming Society (2019), ULTRAWORLD (2020), and Oracle (2020), have garnered much attention for their bold attempts to connect bodies in virtual game-like spaces to the stage.
Kennedy presents the world premiere of I AM (VR), utilizing VR technology to create a theater experience exclusive to the virtual realm. Like the ancient Greeks who visited the Delphi to consult their fortunes, the audience travels through virtual space, searching for an oracle. What might we encounter on this journey? The history of humanity, artificial intelligence, the audience ourselves (“I AM”) as avatars – or something else entirely?
About the artists
Susanne Kennedy
Born in Germany in 1977, studied directing at the Amsterdam Hogeschool voor de Kunsten and created her first productions for Dutch theatres. In 2011, Johan Simons invited her to work for Münchner Kammerspiele. For Fegefeuer in Ingolstadt, Susanne Kennedy was voted Young Director of the Year by Theater heute magazine in 2013. Her first world premiere at Volksbühne Berlin was “Women in Trouble” in 2017. At the Munich Kammerspiele, she produced “The Virgin Suicides” in 2017. The play is a co-production with the Volksbühne Berlin. “ULTRAWORLD” and “ORACLE” in 2020, co-produced with artist Markus Selg. Distorted by masks, playback dialogue, doppelgängers and multimedia, the actors confront the audience with a post-humanistic subjectivity.© Franziska Sinn
Markus Selg
Born 1974 in Singen / Germany, Markus Selg is a multi-media artist exploring the dynamics between archaic myth and computer technology in forms of digital painting, sculpture, immersive installations, theatre and VR.
Selection of exhibitions / performances: “COMING SOCIETY” and “ULTRAWORLD” 2019/2020 (both with Susanne Kennedy) at Volksbühne Berlin. For “ULTRAWORLD” he received the Faust Award 2020 for best stage design. “ALGORITHMIC RITUALS – The Infinite Self” and “ORACLE” 2019/2020 (both with Susanne Kennedy) at Kammerspiele München. 2017 “THE COSMIC STAGE” / Galerie Guido W. Baudach, Berlin, 2016 “MEDEA.MATRIX” (with Susanne Kennedy) at Ruhrtriennale Festival, 2015 “PRIMITIVE DATA,” Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, 2012 Premier of his feature film “DAS EWIGE ANTLITZ,” 2011 GESAMTKUNSTWERK, Saatchi Gallery, London, 2009 “TRACES OF THE SUN – An Apocalyptic Opera” at b-05, Montabour with Jannis Kounellis and Werner Herzog
Rodrik Biersteker
Born 1986 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, studied Design for Virtual Theater and Games at the HKU University of Arts in Utrecht. He is an interdisciplinary artist who primarily uses video and interactive technologies in a theatrical context.
In recent years, there have been numerous collaborations with Susanne Kennedy in productions for the Ruhrtriennale, Münchner Kammerspiele and Volksbühne Berlin, the latest being “ULTRAWORLD” (2020) for he and Markus Selg were awarded the Faust price for best stage/video design.
Credit
Game Design | Susanne Kennedy, Markus Selg, Rodrik Biersteker
Programming | Rodrik Biersteker
Visual Design | Markus Selg, Rodrik Biersteker
Sound Design & Composition | Richard Janssen
Text | Susanne Kennedy
Oracle Interaction | Anna-Katharina Rausch, Graciela Fellmann, Till Roßberg,
Interpreter | Miwa Negoro
Co-Production | Theater Commons Tokyo, Goethe-Institut Tokyo
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