VIECHER

Ball | July 2021 | Schaubühne Lindenfels | Katapult Performance Plattform | Leipzig

By: Atelier Polza and fachbetrieb rita grechen with: Ömer Bayram, Emma Chapuy, Laura Immler, Hannes Köpke, LaQuefa, Philip aka Phenix 007, Jasmina Rezig, Olivia Rosendorfer, Paul Schengber, Veronika Wagner, Julius Zimmermann guest performance 2021/22 with: Friedrich Hartung guest performance 2022 with: Nassim Bouchaib, Ulysse Fontaine production manager: Benjamin Wolf, Ulrike Melzwig assistant: Viola Franke, Yoko Ann Idler translation: Julie Bader extras (Schaubühne Lindenfels, 2021): Julie Bader, Denis Cvetković, Leo Köppen, Sofiia Stasiv, Yannik Stöbener, Rahel Yohannes extras (ARGEkultur, 2021): Racso Cabrera, Othocani Cruz, Débora Domínguez, Andras Meszerics, Rosana Ribeiro extras (Schaubühne Lindenfels, 2022): Ann Francis Ang, Senja Bütting, Engelber Jesus Contreras Vivas, Marina Erler, Djamila Meshoul, Sakin Olosun, Rahel Yohannes

The postcolonial and posthuman discourse have shown together that the term “human” is not a simple definition, but an instrument of power: not everyone is allowed to be part, and those who are denied humanity are outlaws. For example, Trump called Mexican refugees “animals”.

Viecher places itself in the queer tradition of appropriating insults and the ironic infiltration of normative expectations. Categories of the “human” are deconstructed using the queer PoC culture form of voguing, while the audience at a two-hour party is gradually transformed into critters who have shed human dignity and dances to tracks like “I'm a bitch” (I'm a female dog) and “high quality pussy” (excellent female cat). Also the audience can become intimate with non-human entities (fur, writing, plastic or functional clothing) in four different dark rooms without being observed.

Viecher was created as part of the KATAPULT - Performance Platform Leipzig. KATAPULT is a joint venture between Schaubühne Lindenfels, Residenz Schauspiel Leipzig and LOFFT - DAS THEATER. Viecher was funded by Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media as part of NEUSTART KULTUR, the City of Leipzig Cultural Office and the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony. This measure is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget decided by the Saxon state parliament.