360 degree theatre

It has been a longstanding rule for both the theatre and cinema: A plays B and C watches. This has changed. A, B and C are blending together, overlapping more and more – the ensuing situations are blurred and fluid, but most of all they are new, exciting. As long as 50 years ago, Allan Kaprow, the pioneer of action art, had said: “Go in instead of look at.”

Increasingly the theatre vacates its habitual spaces and intervenes in so-called reality, disrupting daily routines. At the same time, technical developments such as virtual reality create new worlds at a breathtaking rate. And we are right in the middle of all this – torn between disorientation, anxiety and enthusiasm. On the occasion of the “Lange Nacht der Ideen (Long Night of Ideas)”, organised by the Federal Foreign Office as part of the forum “Menschen bewegen”, Berliner Festspiele initiate a meeting between these different worlds. Hungarian theatre artist Árpád Schilling, artistic director of theatre company Krétakör, will give a lecture introducing his political and artistic practice of Creative Community Games. The Berlin company machina eX, gaming pioneers of the German-language theatre, will outline their understanding of playable theatre pieces and walk-in computer games.

Following this, there will be a chance for all visitors to experience virtual reality goggles and immersion in other worlds. arte, cooperation partner of Berliner Festspiele, will present “I Philip”, a film presented by the new VR-platform arte 360. French director Pierre Zandrowicz and producer Antoine Cayrol will be present.

Schedule

19:30
Welcome addresses
Thomas Oberender Director of Berliner Festspiele
Klaus-Dieter Lehmann President of the Goethe-Institut

Lectures
Árpád Schilling Artistic Director of Krétakör Budapest)
Philip Steimel machina eX (Berlin)

Conversation
Árpád Schilling and Philip Steimel,
moderated by Thomas Oberender
In English

– Intermission –

21:15
Introduction
Antoine Cayrol Producer of “I Philip”
Pierre Zandrowicz Director of “I Philip” (Paris)
In English

Presentation of the film “I Philip” on virtual reality-goggles