Yearbook 2012

Yearbook 2011/2012

Platform 11+ Artistic Discoveries in European Schoolyards Season 2011 / 2012

PLATFORM 11+ – Artistic Discoveries in European Schoolyards is an artistic network in which 13 theatres from 12 European countries have joined together to collectively create new work for young people aged between 11 and 15 in both the Performing and Visual Arts. As the professional artists go about their work, the young people will be encouraged to express themselves artistically too.

At the end of the four year project, PLATFORM 11+ wants to present a multi-layered portrait of a young European generation, whose presence at the beginning of the 21st century will be reflected in numerous works of art.

Partner theatres

Represented in the Advisory Board by

Associated partners

Brageteatret (leading org.) Norway | Drammen

Terje Hartviksen

ATINA Argentina | Buenos Aires

Divadlo Alfa Czech Rep | Pilsen

Tomáš Froyda

University of Agder Norway | Kristansand

Oulun Kaupungin Teatteri Finland | Oulu

Mikko Kouki

Theaterstückverlag Germany | Munich

VAT Teater Estonia | Tallinn

Tiina Rebane

Theater Junge Generation Germany | Dresden

Felicitas Loewe

Elsinor Teatro Stabile d’Innovazione Italy | Milan

Stefano Braschi

Kolibri Gyermek – És Iljúsági Színház Hungary | Budapest

János Novák

Theater de Citadel The Netherlands | Groningen

Rob Bakker

Teatro O Bando Portugal | Palmela

Raul Atalaia

Theatre Institute Bratislava Slovakia | Bratislava

Vladislava Fekete

Pilot Theatre United Kingdom | York

Marcus Romer

Emergency Exit Arts United Kingdom | London

Deb Mullins

Platform 11+ Artistic Discoveries in European Schoolyards A collaboration of European theatre companies funded by the European Union under “CULTURE 2007– 2013“.

Season August 2011 – July 2012

Project Management Artistic Director

Dirk Neldner

Project Coordinator

Sven Laude

Projects Assistance

Johanna Malchow

Literary Manager

Odette Bereska

Education / Engagement

Mandy Smith (Pilot Theatre)

Visual Arts

Andrew Siddall (Emergency Exit Arts)

Performing Arts

Terje Hartviksen (Brageteatret)

Playwrights

Giuditta Mingucci (Teatro Elsinor)

Financial Administration

Marit Holtet, Elin Henninen (Brageteatret)

Website Implementation

Marco Tralles

Website Maintenance

Britta Schöffel

Translation/English Corrections

Peter Scollin

Contents

Schoolyard Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Prefaces Martin Baxa, Major of Pilsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Tomáš Froyda, Director of Divadlo Alfa & Festival SKUPOVA Pilsen . . . . . 11 Dirk Neldner, Artistic Director Platform 11+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Advertisement Festival SKUPOVA PIlsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Schoolyard Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

4th Annual Encounter Pilsen, Czech Republic 2012 Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Organisation Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Final Production FACE ME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Lotte Lohrengel (NL), Tom Bellerby (UK) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Alex Evans (UK), Gyuri Vidovszky (HU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Ivana Sajevic (DE), Miguel Moreira (PT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Petr Vodička . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Tour Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Advertisement Platform 11+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Schoolyard Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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Schoolyard Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Workshop and Youth Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

PLATFORM 11+ Authors’ Work – Playwriting Competition . . . . . . . .

Schoolyard Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Youth Encounter York (UK) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Minifestivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Advisory Board Meetings & Play Fairs

120

Contents

3nd Annual Encounter Dresden, Germany 2011 The Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

York (United Kingdom) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Schoolyard Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Bratislava (Slovakia) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

136

Milan (Italy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Platform 11+ Theatres & Associated Partners Brageteatret (Norway) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Stepping Exhibition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

140

Divadlo Alfa (Czech Republic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Kolibri Szinhaz (Hungary) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Evaluation Platform 11+ (Gunnar Horn, Norway) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Elsinor Teatro Stabile d’Innovazione (Italy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Theater de Citadel (The Netherlands) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Teatro O Bando (Portugal) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Pilot Theatre Company (United Kingdom) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Theatre Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

145

Theatre Institute Bratislava (Slovakia) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Emergency Exit Arts (United Kingdom) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Imprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Oulu City Theatre (Finland) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 VAT Teater (Estonia) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 tjg.Dresden (Germany) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

106

University of Agder (Norway) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 ATINA (Argentina) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 La Factoria Teatro (Chile): The Voyage of ‘Martín’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

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sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs 8

Regardless of whether one‘s final exam was last week or last century: the recollection of this particular school experience is indelibly burnt onto our memories. Joy or grief, falling in love for the first time or being teased by fellow students, practical jokes or tests of courage, we seem to be able to remember these little incidents for ages. Also in the 3rd Platform 11+ Yearbook, we‘ve collected schoolyard memories from all over Europe and combined them with private photos from these years.

Italo Lodigiani… or Rovatti Gianmassimo… Renzo Manassero… or maybe his name was Franco Morini… yes, Morini… no, his name was Rosa, yes, Franco Rosa, sure, a schoolmate of mine at the primary school. A natural born leader.

He loved to surround himself with soldiers ready for anything. One spring day he took us on a mission to the school attic; dust on the rafters, some mummified birds, the fear of being discovered, the rays of light filtering unevenly through the tiles of the roof. It reminded me of the experiment in which a light beam is divided into the colors of the rainbow when it passes through the glass prism… beautiful. The teacher came looking for us, I imagined his face, but he really felt alone in his footsteps. I don’t quite know how we managed to return to class, sweaty, but without being discovered.

Our military career under the command of Franco Rosa was brilliant, in a few months we were all colonels, it was unforgettable.

He knew how to control people. At the sound of the bell we used to go down the street, pushing the top part of our bodies forward, beating our hands on our thighs. Horse and Andrea Soffiantini rider in one person, was it possible?

Actor, Italy It was.

The playground of my first school is the one that I miss the most. The playtime was the most exciting moment of school life. It’s not that the rest of school life was a nightmare, but because the playground was the place where our imaginations found a limitless shelter. The most ordinary tree could become a watch tower and with a few stones we could built an impressive castle. On rainy days we used to wait patiently under the porch, yearning for a sunbeam to Filipa Burgo interrupt the anger of the skies. And Set and Costume Designer, when the sun was shining, we created Portugal new games with more energy.

The playground was the stage for all kinds of games, especially on party days like Christmas, Easter or our Carnival. On those days, the games included cowboys, Sevillian dancers, clowns, princesses, pirates, fairies, musketeers, and the playground was full of serpentines, confetti and balloons.

On the other days, between numbers to discover and sentences to build, the ringing of the bell for the break was always welcome and followed by lots of kids running and laughing. The games that had been left unfinished were quickly resumed and continued till the bell rang again. The last game was to race to the classroom, to see who would be the first to arrive and to touch the number ‘4’ that was on the door. And once inside, diving in the lines of the notebooks, full of numbers and letters of the alphabet, we waited for the loud ‘riiiiiiiiiinnnnggggg’!

number 1 and I sing the Dewista… I am Lonely one number 2 and I sing the Dewista”.

Of course, Dewista was the title.

Essentially, the Lonely ones spent the whole time of the break in running round and round the seat, singing the hymn.

And that was all.

But it became something longed-for, so that one day a girl asked to be accepted in the ‘gang’.

We were astonished by the request, and somewhat annoyed, it seemed a cheeky request: it was not so simple, just to come, ask and HOP! Become a Lonely one.

Now, not so!

In order to become a Lonely one, there were very difficult tests to be endured.

I remember only one of these tests: the applicant had to jump over the whole length of the sand basin in the yard.

I must point out that my primary school was an old building of the early twentieth century: probably the pupils of those years liked playing bowls, so the building contractor decided to provide the yard with a practical sand bowling ground to practice their beloved sport.

The sand ground still existed during my school years, and it was transformed in a place of physical torment for the brave but too ambitious applicants who wished to join the ‘gang’.

Of course, the girl did not stand the test; nobody can jump over about ten meters of sand ground.

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

I have an absent-minded nature. I lose anything. Even memories.

I don‘t remember much of my school childhood, only some details: the best loved teacher, the poems by heart, the drawings to be traced on the bottom of each page of the copybook, the scientific tests, the noisy and chaotic canteen, the trainings in the gymnasium and the bell ringing.

But I remember quite well the large yard, where we spent the Ilaria Ariemme breaks playing with the classSet- and Costume Designer, Italy mates, quarreling and making peace and, during the last year of the primary school, looking with the nose on the gate the ‘elders’ of the adjacent secondary school, longing to be soon like them.

I remember a strange game I played with my best girlfriend Chiara.

We had formed a „gang“, and as the members were only she and I, we had named it „the Lonely ones“.

After many researches we chose as a seat a somewhat isolated tree; the great tree at the end of the yard had been better, but it was always too crowded – and the “Lonely ones” needed peace in order to perform their important activities.

We had even composed a hymn, its text was just about so: “I am Lonely one

So the Lonely ones remained lonely.

Consistency first of all.

Thank goodness, growing up makes us less unmerciful.

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Preface Lord Mayor of Pilsen

To make the Platform 11+ project public

P

latform 11+, a European network of thirteen theatres, is now one of

learn about Czech culture and Czech art, and opens the way for young Czech

the European Union‘s successful cultural projects. Proof of this is the

people to learn about different cultures and ways of life.

fact that over the four years of the project‘s existence, it has given rise

to dozens of new plays, co-productions and theatre events, and dozens of ar-

I believe the concept of the Platform 11+ project is a foretaste for Pilsen of

tistic works.

the important and significant project that is the European Capital of Culture 2015, a title that falls to Pilsen. In 2015 Pilsen will become a meeting place or

The project has the unique advantage of being aimed at the young genera-

crossroads of European cultures, including the culture of Pilsen and the Czech

tion, a generation young enough to hardly remember when there were bor-

Republic. I firmly believe that just as the ALFA Theatre has proven a worthy

ders between the European Union member states, a generation growing up in

partner in the Platform 11+ project, Pilsen will be successful as the European

a world that is interconnected, and not only in the virtual sense of the internet.

Capital of Culture.

This is fertile ground for the creation of a network of theatres which genuinely cooperate, and are connected to further cultural organisations, universities and schools. What arises is a horizontal partnership structure of various institutions, which brings young people into contact with the art of the theatre, giving and transferring to them all sorts of different outlooks on life and the world around us.

I am glad that the Czech Republic is represented in the project by Pilsen‘s

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ALFA Theatre, one of the top Czech theatres in its field, and an extremely ac-

Martin Baxa

tive participant in the project. This allows young people in other countries to

Lord Mayor of Pilsen

I

t was September 2008 when twelve theatre directors and Dirk Neldner,

I am certain that beyond the hard work, we will all find time for fruitful and

Odette Bereska and Sven Laude descended on Pilsen for the Divadlo

enriching debates at the ‘Shakesbeer’ theatre club where our network can

Theatre Festival to discuss whether and to what extent we would get in-

network and where we can discuss a number of important and as yet unan-

volved in the Platform11+ Project. What would happen if we received only a

swered questions regarding European theatre and cultural policies (To beer

small amount of money from the Cultural programme and what we would do

or not to beer?)

if they gave us a lot?

My dear Platform colleagues, Pilsen welcomes you with open arms.

In this way, the entire floor plan and model for an extensive and successful project, and the seed for a wonderful networked theatre life, was born right here in Pilsen – a city in which many a fine brew has been made. And the site where the project started should also be the place where it comes to a climax.

Pilsen, the kind and receptive capital of beer and culture (not just in 2015), is hosting 80 artists from 12 countries around Europe. I am very proud of the fact that Alfa Theatre has been able to take on the incredible challenge of organising the large annual meeting of European theatre performers and arranging the production for rehearsals of the joint project-wide co-production of ‘Face Me’. I believe that this will be just as great an experience for the Alfa

Preface Director Divadlo Alfa & Festival Skupova Pilsen

“Where the mischief did brew”

Theatre team as it will be for the František Křižík Secondary School teachers and students with whom we are working closely to organise the performance.

Tomáš Froyda Director, Divadlo Alfa & Festival SKUPOVA

11

O

ver the last three years, twelve European theatres have been work-

These ties are evidence of the trust in, and the curiosity about, other (foreign)

ing together in the Platform 11+ network. Their goal has been to

viewpoints, both of which are essential elements of the much quoted inter-

develop a top quality cultural program for 11–15 year olds. Look-

cultural dialogue that we wanted to stimulate in the Platform 11+ project.

ing back we can see that a lot has happened in ‘only’ three years. The goals

that were set at the beginning of the project have been exceeded:

The discussions that went on, in both small and large groups, have long surpassed the defined area of work: At the meetings, we exchange experiences

• 30 new plays for young people and the resulting performances

about many themes and get to know and understand the personal stories

• 12 European play competitions with over with over 100 entries for the 11-15

and the social, cultural and political backgrounds of the partners better.

year olds

Through all of this we explore the ‘European dimension’ of our work.

Preface Artistic Director Platform 11+

Dear Friends

• Over a dozen national Awards (Prizes for Theatres, Authors and Plays) which demonstrates that Platform 11+ has clearly made its mark on the European

This year, audiences could witness the exemplary results of the working pro-

Children’s and Youth theatre landscape.

cesses in York at the Youth Event ‘Through our eyes’ and in Pilsen with the

• Large numbers of professionally lead activities with young people, initiated

large P11+ production ‘Face Me’.

by the theatres in both the performing arts and visual arts.

Thereby it’s surely no surprise that the titles of both plays describe an active The personal ties that have been made between artists, teachers and young

moment of encounter and self perception. Both the artists and the young

people through the international encounters of Platform11+ are more impor-

people themselves felt the need to reflect on the current environment of

tant, however, because of their long lasting effectiveness.

young adults. The current political and economic challenges facing Europe receded into the background. It’s far more the personal stories that we want

June 2011: 3rd Annual Encounter Dresden, Excursion Elbe Sandstone Mountains

to tell: conflicts at home or in school, encountering one’s feelings, sometimes

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Preface Artistic Director Platform 11+

a tentative process, sometimes turbulent, learning how to find one’s place in

ropean countries and taught them traditional dances. The young people

a complex society.

danced enthusiastically in a circle for hours on end.

In ‘Face Me’, young people took part side by side with professional

Only a few hours prior to this, the young people had spoken with

artists. This element of participation was a recurring theme in the Project.

their families and friends via Live Stream Internet about their theatre per-

Of course it’s very special occasion when 24 European Artists come together

act between what would seem like two diametrically opposed worlds. In a

for a three week rehearsal period and, as a part of this, they work with young

very short period of time they playfully brought European cultural tradition

people as well. The devised play, which will feature professional and amateur

together with ultra modern technology.

formances. By doing this they managed to achieve an admirable balancing

actors, marks the absolute climax of the co-operation within PLATFORM 11+.

The emphasis on the young people, our audience, participating in the artistic Why, however, are European Theatres softening up on the hundred year old tradition of the separation of the stage and the auditorium?

process, will continue to be central to the future activities of Platform 11+.

Participatory theatre for and with young people, in a European context, is a

Children’s and youth theatres audiences in many countries are no

great challenge to all involved, but in view of the demographic changes and

longer ethnically homogenuous and thus can no longer be served the same

the resulting advancement of ethnical mixture of our society, this is some-

plays as previous generations were. The multi-ethnical society calls for a final

thing that the moment dictates to be done.

departure from traditional ways of doing things. It’s the mutual give and take that adds an extra value to this way of working together. The protected environment of the theatre provides room for openness to listen to one another and to learn from one another in a playful way. Artists and young people discover life and art together, and in this way the artists experience things about their audience and its special concerns very directly.

The experience made in the youth event ‘Through our eyes’ in York proves that this is not an abstract romantic wish. At the closing ceremony, a Celtic Band, comprised of older musicians, played for young people from five Eu-

Dirk Neldner Artistic Director Platform 11+

14

29. SKUPOVA PLZEÒ FESTIVAL OF THE CZECH PROFESSIONAL PUPPET AND ALTERNATIVE THEATRE general partner

partners

medial partners

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

THE BANK OF THE DANUBE As I remember, we spent more time out of school that year than we were inside it.

We always had a reason to convince ourselves why we should stay outside, why we should ditch classes. The grey maze of housing blocks hid terribly interesting things. There was a playground full of remains of cast iron objects, ping-pong tables, a hilly bicycle route, and stands build for eating carpets, some broken chairs, benches, flowerbeds. That was the playing field, still, the most important thing was that there was always something happening. We knew everyone on this square and everyone knew us.

Our other headquarters was about five minutes away from here. At the end of the road leading away from the square, there was the Danube, flowing towards the South, farther than the eyes could reach. The river was bordered by awkward concrete walls, forcing it on its whirling way. The riverbank was almost always free of people, with only one or two line-fisherman sitting on the concrete steps decorated with sand, mud and alluvium deposit. This is where we went in the afternoons if we had the time or if we made some for ourselves. This was our favorite spot, being far enough so we couldn’t be found, but everyone in the group knew where we were if the others were not to be found on the square. This was the place where we could be (by) ourselves the most.

It was already spring when one day there appeared heaps of unwanted furniture, knickknacks and unusable objects on the square – it was the time organized by the city for clearing out junk. We got hold of the best pieces of furniture and took them to the riverbank. We built a room with a wonderful view of the Hajógyári (Shipyard) Island and the Danube. Maybe (of course) it was to do with the

16

weather getting better, but we were spending more and more time sitting out there, writing poetry, talking philosophically about nothing, doing all this in complete comfort. After a while we started our mornings on the riverbank as well. This was the thing that made our teachers’ anger finally come down on our heads.

At the same time, in a Lőrinc Boros symbolic fashion, as the Visual Artist, Hungary water level of the Danube started rising and rising because of the floods, so did the storm clouds gather above our heads.

It was almost the same day that the flooding water swept away our riverside room and that it was took away from us by the bad news our teachers gave us: we were going to get a little book in which every school lesson had to be signed by the teacher and they also had to write a short description of our behavior.

That was the end of the square and the end of the real Danube bank for that year.

We were attending every lesson again, but once or twice in the afternoons if we had time and the gang did not go their separate ways, we headed down to the riverbank to smell the Danube once again.

My schoolyards were brief. I counted them and waited for them, there I could say everything that I shut up in class. It was our space to walk, make jokes, flirt, eat snaks, play.

My schoolyards had the company of mi friend Milagros, I shared all of them with her, except for a number of absences.

We took our blue skirts for a walk (hers was long, mine short) around that concrete rectangle that drew color lines to differentiate between the soccer court from the basketball court.

With those lines we marked also our territory and moved with it.

We looked at the boys from the corner of the eyes, until the encounter had place, so there were plenty of jokes and flit and the flavor of love.

When it was exam time we waited for the boys we liked from other classes and asked them the exam’s questions, and also of course we looked for the most intelligent ones to ask for the answers.

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

WHY I GAVE UP SMOKING When I was 10 years old, I was beginning to show some interest in girls – naturally, girlswho were older than me. There was one in particular who was 14, she was our Pioneer Supervisor, which meant it was her duty to visit our class and talk to us about pioneer activities. I loved those sessions – because of her. I had no idea what she was talking about, because I was so busy staring at her. She was a woman to me, compared to my classmates – with all the accessories.

She must have noticed that I fancied her, because she offered me a date after the session: “Don’t you want to smoke a cigarette together?” I answered: “Yes, of course! Although I don’t know how to smoke…” She noticed my hesitation so to encourage me, she promised to kiss me on my cheek if I smoked a cigarette with her. I was more than enthusiastic. To buy a packet of cigarettes didn’t seem to be too big an investment for such an adventure.

We met in a square close to the school. She lit her cigarette and then I lit mine. She seemed to be an experienced smoker compared to me. She was not coughing, unlike me. I couldn’t think of anything other than finishing the cigarette as soon as possible, to get the kiss. But I couldn’t stop coughing, started to feel sick, and gave up halfway through hoping that it was enough to get the reward. But she was cruel. She refused to kiss me because I hadn’t finished the whole cigarette.

I left first. I left the packet of cigarettes behind. From that day on, I never smoked a cigarette again – and I’ve remained suspicious of the promises of women!

(This is how I became a non-smoker – you can live Gyuri Vidovszky without smoking, but how can you live without the Director, Hungary promises of women!)

My schoolyards are full of names written in that huge blue wall of the school, that was followed by an endless grille that I always wondered why was there.

My schoolyards sound in my memory, as the sound of the bell that made me go back to class.

Irma Borges – Playwright, Venezuela/Spain

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Platform 11+ posters – ‘Face Me’ – Designs by Ondřej Zámiš

PLATFORMA 11+ UVÁDÍ

WWW.PLATFORM11PLUS.EU

PLATFORM 11+ PRESENTS

4 ROKY EVROPSKÉ SPOLUPRÁCE. 4 ROKY SBÍRÁNÍ ZKUŠENOSTÍ A SPOLEČNÉ TVORBY. UMĚLCI Z 12 DIVADEL Z 11 EVROPSKÝCH ZEMÍ V 1 KOPRODUKCI.

4 YEARS OF EUROPEAN COLLABORATION. 4 YEARS OF COLLECTING EXPERIENCES AND WORKING TOGETHER. ARTISTS OF 12 THEATRES FROM 11 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN 1 COPRODUCTION.

TIME OF TRANSI– TION

ČAS ZMĚNY 4. VÝROČNÍ SETKÁNÍ 2012 17. 6. — 21. 6.

WWW.PLATFORM11PLUS.EU

4. ANNUAL ENCOUNTER 2012 17. 6. — 21. 6.

12 EVROPSKÝCH DIVADELNÍCH SOUBORŮ Z 11 ZEMÍ – ČAS NAJÍT SI V PLZNI PŘÁTELE!

12 EUROPEAN THEATRE COMPANIES FROM 11 COUNTRIES — TIME TO MAKE FRIENDS IN PILSEN!

GYMNÁZIUM FRANTIŠKA KŘIŽÍKA PLZEŇ

GYMNÁZIUM FRANTIŠKA KŘIŽÍKA PLZEŇ

18. 6. / 13.00 + 18.00 19. 6. / 12.00

18. 6. / 13.00 + 18.00 19. 6. / 12.00

With the support of the Culture Programme 2007–2013 of the European Union

PARTICIPATING PARTNERS: DIVADLO ALFA PILSEN | CZECH REPUBLIC OULUN KAUPUNGIN TEATTERI OULU | FINLAND VAT TEATER TALLINN | ESTONIA THEATER JUNGE GENERATION DRESDEN | GERMANY ELSINOR TEATRO STABILE DI INNOVAZIONE MILAN, FLORENCE, FORLI | ITALY SZINHÁZ KOLIBRI BUDAPEST | HUNGARY THEATER DE CITADEL GRONINGEN | THE NETHERLANDS TEATRO O BANDO PALMELA | PORTUGAL THEATRE INSTITUTE BRATISLAVA | SLOVAKIA BÁBKOVÉ DIVADLO NA ROZCESTÍ BANSKÁ BYSTRICA | SLOVAKIA PILOT THEATRE COMPANY YORK | UNITED KINGDOM EMERGENCY EXIT ARTS LONDON | UNITED KINGDOM ATINA BUENOS AIRES | ARGENTINA UNIVERSITY OF AGDER KRISTIANSAND | NORWAY With the support of the Culture Programme 2007–2013 of the European Union

18

PARTICIPATING PARTNERS: DIVADLO ALFA PILSEN | CZECH REPUBLIC OULUN KAUPUNGIN TEATTERI OULU | FINLAND VAT TEATER TALLINN | ESTONIA THEATER JUNGE GENERATION DRESDEN | GERMANY ELSINOR TEATRO STABILE DI INNOVAZIONE MILAN, FLORENCE, FORLI | ITALY SZINHÁZ KOLIBRI BUDAPEST | HUNGARY THEATER DE CITADEL GRONINGEN | THE NETHERLANDS TEATRO O BANDO PALMELA | PORTUGAL THEATRE INSTITUTE BRATISLAVA | SLOVAKIA BÁBKOVÉ DIVADLO NA ROZCESTÍ BANSKÁ BYSTRICA | SLOVAKIA PILOT THEATRE COMPANY YORK | UNITED KINGDOM EMERGENCY EXIT ARTS LONDON | UNITED KINGDOM ATINA BUENOS AIRES | ARGENTINA UNIVERSITY OF AGDER KRISTIANSAND | NORWAY

4th Annual Encounter Pilsen, Czech Republic Programme Sunday, 17 June

Tuesday, 19 June

Arrivals

10.00 Advisory Board Meeting – Evaluation Final Production 12.00 FACE ME – Time of Transition Gymnázium Františka Křižíka

15.00 Opening Ceremony of 29. SKUPOVA Festival

12.00

Play Fair Stage reading of Playwright Competitions winners

20.00

14.00

Lunch – Festival Tent

Welcome Dinner

15.00 Lecture Contemporary Czech Theatre 17.00 Evaluation FACE ME – Time of Transition

Monday, 18 June

20.00

Dinner + Farewell Party Pilsner Urquell Brewery

10.30 Advisory Board Meeting (Hotel)

Get Together New Partner

Programme 4th Annual Encounter Platform 11+

Platform 11+

Wednesday, 20 June

13.00 Opening Final Production Platform 11+ 15.00

FACE ME – Time of Transition Gymnázium Františka Křižíka

10:30 – 12:30 Advisory Board Meeting

Lunch – Festival Tent

13:00

Lunch

18.00 FACE ME – Time of Transition Gymnázium Františka Křižíka

14.00 Cyber Cyrano (Kolibri Theatre, HU)

21.00

16:00 – 19:00 Advisory Board Meeting

Dinner

20.00

Dinner

19

Organisation Team Annual Encounter Platform 11+ 20

Platform 11+ 4th Annual Encounter Organisation Team

Directors

Gymnázium Františka Krizíka

Alfa Theatre Tomáš Froyda

Headmaster Šárka Chvalová

Platform 11+ Dirk Neldner

Project Management Tereza Dubničková

Team Alfa Theatre

Catering

Production Manager Marcela Mašínová

Inka Gabrielová, Tereza Karbanová

Head of Production, Sales & Marketing Iveta Sochorová Account Manager Růžena Benýrová

Platform 11+

Tickets Jana Linhartová

Project Coordinator Sven Laude

Technical Director Matěj Siegl

Literary Manager Odette Bereska

Workshop Director Jan Rauner

Project Assistance Johanna Malchow, Elisa Braun

Puppets Kateřina Stejskalová

Production Assistance Chiara Rocchetti (IT)

Documentary Antonín Procházka

FACE ME

Time of Transition

T

hree years have passed since the beginning of the Platform 11+ pro-

A pool of work containing more than 20 short texts from European and South

ject. The partner theatres have now completed the first two phases

American authors arose out of this, each one different in form and content.

of the project.

Not all of the texts were used in the final production, but the wealth of the

In the first year they produced and staged ‘national productions’, pre-

material was the starting point for an intense analysis of the texts and themes

senting texts from authors from their own countries. In the second year the

by the young directors. It helped them greatly to get back in touch with a

emphasis was on ‘bi-national’, country-overlapping works: new plays grew

target age group which they had personally long left behind.

out of a process of co-writing, involving a minimum of two authors. At the

The Final Production was born out of a joint three week rehearsal pe-

end of the co-writing process the plays were staged as co-productions by the

riod in which three different groups rehearsed in one place. Four theatres (of

co-operating theatres.

Logically, the third and last phase of the project has a European-wide dimension: 24 artists from all of the 12 participating countries join together for a multinational production.

As in the two previous phases of the project, new texts were the starting point for the final working process. The authors were requested to write scenes in which the transition from childhood to adulthood would be

the 12 partners) had brought their artists together in one group and during

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

Final Production Platform 11+

an intense rehearsal period three independent productions were made.

The Czech director, Petr Vodička, will weave these productions together for a unique Premiere and a series of performances at the Annual Encounter in a school in Pilsen.

Following the performances in the Czech Republic the three separate productions will stage their plays in the four co-operating theatres.

described: a period of complicated decisions and experiences, a time of farewells and new beginnings.

Here is what the directors have to say about their work processes (April 2012):

21

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

Groningen (nL) / York (uk) / Milan (It) / Banska Bystrica (sk) Lotte Lohrengel, Tom Bellerby

and the potency that each can

Directors

achieve when used indepen-

Lotte Lohrengel (Theater de Citadel,

dently or combined on the stage.

NL), Tom Bellerby (Pilot Theatre, UK)

After these initial discussions

Set / Costume Designer

around our theatrical tastes we

Ilaria Ariemme (Teatro Elsinor, IT)

Five people of different ages and cultures are travelling through time. Each one

started to discuss the texts pro-

afraid to stand still on the journey between the person they have been and the

duced by the writers. We were

Performers

person they will become. Tides rise and fall. Trapped in a no man’s land in a search

drawn to texts for different rea-

Eva Dočolomanská (Puppet Theatre at

to find who they are, they meet each other, armed only with their suitcases. Are

sons. Some were interesting for

the Crossroads, SK), Giuditta Mingucci

these suitcases and the stories they contain the key to unravelling the problem?

fleeting images, some for the

(Teatro Elsinor, IT), Lies van de Wiel

Stories of fears and of hopes, dreams and memories, ideals and pain and of se-

way they were structured, some

(Theater de Citadel, NL),

crets never shared. But in this chaotic clash of luggage and identity whose stories

for their writing style and some

Edward Wren (Pilot Theatre, UK), Peter

are whose? And at the end of this confrontation can they discover who they are

for the thematic ideas that were

Butkowsky (Puppet Theatre at the

and how they fit into the world around them?

being discussed.

Crossroads, SK)

A play about five people, five suitcases and the pop up worlds they contain.

Two moments of inspiration

Tour Manager

have been key to us developing

Chiara Rocchetti (Teatro Elsinor, IT)

A play about the confusion of discovering who you are.

our ideas so far. One of these has

Our creative process started in Groningen in December last year where we

your life’. What objects, memories and stories would you pack into a suitcase

been the image of ‘a suitcase of spent two days sharing our theatrical interests. We shared examples of our

if that were all you could use to define your identity? The second moment

past work, our favorite pieces of others work we had seen and began to build

has been the idea that if a school building could speak they would have so

a shared language and understanding around theatre. It was clear from that

many stories to tell. Tales of the changing culture of young people through

point we were both interested in the interplay between images and content Lotte Lohrengel and Tom Bellerby in discussion with their team

22

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME 23

formative years.

In Pilsen we are hoping to spend a lot of time devising further material, some inspired by the texts, some by the ideas we have developed. We may work separately at times, developing different sections and pursuing individual elements that interest us but we hope that the final production will very much be one shared vision that we both feel ownership over. We are very lucky to have the opportunity to work together in York before the rehearsal process begins in Pilsen, as part of the Platform 11+ Youth Exchange. This will be a great opportunity to continue to develop our ideas for the final production, continue to build our shared language and to further explore and interrogate each others working methods.

The opportunity to embrace the challenge of working with creative people with such diverse qualities and cultures and to learn from each other and cre-

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

the decades and the individual stories that young people take through their

ate a piece harnessing the differing skills of our group is an immensely exciting one. We are looking forward to getting to Pilsen and turning the many creative discussions that have taken place in Groningen, Pilsen, Bratislava, Milan, York and through e-mails and Skype into a live performance that will fuel the audiences imagination, cross cultural boundaries and provoke thoughts, discussion and debate.

Opposite: Edward Wren at his harmonium

25

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

London (uk) / Budapest (Hu) / oulu (FI) / tallinn (EE) Alex Evans, Gyuri Vidovszky The Platform 11+ project is an amazing catalyst for creative exchanges. It is an incredible opportunity for us as artists to share, to learn, to offer and to grow.

It is a time for us to each come together and explore our position in the world within a network of people from across Europe, hopefully influencing future generations of theatre makers across Europe for years to come. It is quite simply an awe-inspiring prospect.

The wide range of texts available for the writers confirms the diversity of creativity within this network. As a result we have chosen a selection of texts which we felt spoke of universal experiences, human emotion, depth and feeling. They have been selected from all over Europe and yet all speak of a shared feeling. This feeling is the difference between action and emotion, of being seen and seeing yourself; a common theme emerges of internalised thought and externalised behaviour contributing to an idea of the self as it is felt and the self that is seen. The reader is very present and immersed in each script. They are implicated; they are a witness, a voyeur.

Anna Papst (Switzerland) has written eight short, mainly silent scenes which all can happen in a classroom. It feels like we become the invisible witnesses This page: Warming up before rehearsal start Opposite: Alex Evans and Gyuri Vidovszky talking with their team

26

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

Directors

of private moments of young peo-

Alex Evans (Emergency Exit Arts, UK),

ple’s sensitive moments. Péter Hor-

György Vidovszky (Kolibri Szinhaz, HU)

váth’s (Hungary) story is about a

Set / Costume Designers

of secrets, confusion and purity, a

Inga Vares (VAT Teater, EE), Patrick

simple summer story which chang-

Bullock (Emergency Exit Arts, UK)

es the life of a growing mind. Irma

boy who dicovers a new feeling full

Borges (South America) sent us an Performers

internet chat conversation which

Rita Alexics (Kolibri Szinhaz, HU),

expresses beautifully how we are

Annina Rokka (Oulu City Theatre, FI),

hiding ourselves behind screens

Mikko Korsulainen (Oulu City Theatre,

trying to say something simple to

FI), Ago Soots (VAT Teater, EE)

someone else. :-) István Tasnádi’s (Hungary) story is an exciting ac-

Tour Manager

tion, a prank which brings out unex-

Johanna Malchow (Platform 11+, DE)

pected reactions from the players; a sad experience discovering the difference between action and re-

Despite the long preparation time, the reherasal period in Pilsen will be un-

action. Liv Heløe’s (Norway) play is a beautiful flow of time and slow changes,

predictable. Eight artists who barely know each other, facing each other with

an eternal snapshot of sudden growing. Rui Pina Coelho (Portugal) gave us

some scripts, ideas and a location have to start to find a way to create some-

thirty nano-plays offering a wide range of pictures, moments, thoughts to

thing which has never been performed before. Using our artistic skills, sensi-

explore. Richard Hurford’s (UK) funny-sad stand-up comedy scene is a cheeky,

tivity, memories, patience, open-mindedness we will slowly find a common

provocative journey about the discoverery of girls and boys.

language to communicate and to originate a theatrical piece which will speak to young people across our continent in intimate and exciting ways.

Opposite: Warming up before rehearsal This page: Alex Evans and Gyuri Vidovszky

29

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

Dresden (DE) / Palmela (Pt) / Drammen (no) / Pilsen (CZ)

without language, using material and bodily expression. I am thinking about

Ivana Sajevic

spots in which several scenes can be played. I want to find ‘patterns’ and ‘sam-

Bodies

are touring. I am really looking forward to the challenge of a European team.

I want to work with these scenarios but I want to make them into scenes performers moving with the audience between special spots in the school, ples’ which the performers can also adapt to the other schools to which they

I chose Petr Vodička’s text (ALFA theatre/Pilsen) ‘The Book Of Puber-

Some of them I won’t even get a chance to meet until we start to work togeth-

tosis’ or ‘The Expulsion From Childhood’ to work on. What I really liked about

er in Pilsen. I hope that it will be an inspiring work for everybody. The exciting

the play and what grabbed my interest firstly was the subject of what hap-

thing for me is to be working in two stages. There is a vision and decisions are

pens to the body. All these questions about the body and how to deal with

made before the work starts, especially because we will work with material

it reminded me of my own work

and puppets which have to be created before. But at the same time I want to

with teenagers. Body issues for

give enough space for improvisation and for finding something together in

Directors

these kids are definitely a big deal.

the group when we finally get together. I am convinced that a special energy

Ivana Sajevic (tjg. Dresden, DE),

The other thing that I liked was the

and force can arise through the diversity of countries and the different experi-

Miguel Moreira (Teatro OBando, PT)

‘violence’ in the text and the adap-

ences and backgrounds of the people who are taking part.

tation of the fairytales to modern Performers

times, splatter, destruction and

Marta Abreu (Teatro Obando, PT),

an individual interpretation. Petr

Martina Hartmannova (Divadlo Alfa ,

linked his version of Grimm Stories

CZ), Ratih Windrati (Brageteatret, NO),

with the scenes as if there is some-

Following the path that Teatro O Bando has been tracing, this Final Produc-

Joseph Angyal (Brageteatret, NO),

thing different to say about our life

tion is the result of the encounter of a large and heterogeneous group of in-

Miguel Moreira

Patrick Borck (tjg. Dresden, DE), Bob

and how to deal with it nowadays.

ternational creators, interested in raising doubts, in questioning the future

Holy (Divadlo Alfa , CZ)

The body, relationships and sexu-

and the society together with the young audiences. Now, we want to create

ality are combined with values Tour Manager Elisa Braun (Platform 11+, DE)

30

which are changing.

Marta Abreu, Patrick Borck and a table

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

a show that dissolves the boundaries between the artistic and scenic space from the day-to-day territory.

When the classroom becomes the stage, the performative space enlarges reality and helps to momentarily break the codes and norms that rule our behaviour.

Then, invading the schools will create the possibility to discover and see the world through different eyes, exploring the ability to experiment unfamiliar places and give them a new dimension for our collective life. In this production we’ll develop small performances that create an imaginary place between two classes, inspired by the texts of Liv Heloe, Nora Mansmann and Rui Pina Coelho, believing that an education that values the sensitivity and the sensorial intelligence through the

Opposite: Miguel Moreira, Marta Abreu, Ratih Windrati

artistic expression, will contribute to the growth of the adolescents. Boys and girls, tolerant men and women that may simultaneously become stronger

Above: Ivana Sajevic and the team

and more aware of the important choices, that they will have to make.

33

Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

FACE ME united in Pilsen, CZ in June 2012, in Drammen, no in March 2013 Petr Vodička

Concept The final production will be the result of collaboration between a large group of people. Creating a concept for this special shared work is about being open to all ideas, it demands a flexibile concept rather than a rigid one. It is better to think more about some rules of this game and try to prepare for the creation of banks, through which this river will flow and from which the river can be observed.

During the rehearsal period, artistic discussion will still go on. These discussions will first involve two people from each of the three groups. At the same

Petr Vodička and Odette Bereska, literary manager of Platform 11+, in

time, the discussions will be between myself and all six of those involved. In

the Gymnázium Františka Krizíka

this case it is necessary to prepare a number of suitable options in advance for later use, according to the situation which evolves during the creation of individual performances.

world. Purely interactive theatre and dance theatre will be side by side with improvisational theatre and puppet theater. It seems that the initial goal of dealing thematically with issues affecting the11–15 years olds, is too general

34

My role will be more observational. I will be more of an event organizer than

to provide us with guidelines for devising the joint production of all three

a stage director. The way things are taking shape at the moment each perfor-

pieces of the final production. We will have to ’play it by ear’ as the musicians

mance will be completely different, each contribution will present a different

would say.

tour Dates FACE ME

The presentation of the three different international performances will take

2012

place in a school. A school was selected in which pupils finish the regular 18 (opening)–19 Jun

Pilsen / Czech Republic SKUPOVA Festival

will be asked if they want to actively participate in preparation of the Final

22 Jun

Dresden / Germany

Production in the week from 13th to the 18th of June. The best option would

20 Sep

Drammen / Norway

be to find a group of students who would like to become actors, singers or

24 Sep

Palmela / Portugal

dancers for one week. According to the number of different theater groups

29 Sep – 01 Oct

Banská Bystrica / Slovakia

educational program on the 12th June. After this they participate in various cultural or sporting activities. Firstly, we agreed with the school that the pupils

(FACE ME United)

that will work in the school, it can be assumed that this plan will go smoothly.

(XVIII. International Festival of Contemporary Puppet Theatre For Children And Adults Double Impulse)

Performance and mini-festival

4–5 Oct

Milan / Italy

9–10 Oct

Budapest / Hungary

Exactly how the final event will turn out, remains to be seen. It can be a plat-

11–12 Oct

York / United Kingdom

form for specific performances, which which will include elements from all

15–16 Oct

Groningen / The Netherlands

three productions, and which will be rehearsed at Býkov Castle. Actors, direc-

12–13 Nov

London / United Kingdom

tors and designers will participate according to their abilities and the students will join in.

2013

tout Dates Final Production Platform 11+ FACE ME

students

At the same time there is an oportunity to create a framework in the form of a mini-festival, which should be mainly run by the school students. After all, for

13–14 Feb

Tallinn / Estonia

‘Face Me’ they are actually in the role of hosts.

18–19 Feb

Oulu / Finland (Oulu Festival)

March

Drammen / Norway (FACE ME United at the

Next page: The team of FACE ME in the Gymnázium Františka Krizíka

5th Annual Encounter of Platform 11+)

35

other PLAtFoRM 11+ products, can be ordered at the theatres

Documentation DvD 1st Annual Encounter Budapest / Hungary, August 2009

Documentation DvD 2nd Annual Encounter Palmela / Portugal, June 2010

the book, including the CD with the complete texts of 30 plays, can be ordered from all theatre companies or from odette@platform11plus.eu

Documentation DvD “Handbook of your life” – Youth Exchange “Shared Stories from Schoolyard”, Tallinn, Estonia, October 2010

Yearbook 2010 / 2011

Yearbook 2010/11

Yearbook 2009/10

Documentation DvD 3rd Annual Encounter Dresden / Germany, June 2011

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

I went to a school far from my house, therefore all the other students were unknown to me and much older, what rhymes with dangerous. I endured it all bravely and kept myself there and, respectably, I answered to all the questions giving an impression of a secure person, whilst the rage against the situation where I found myself grew deeper. My resilience ended when I went back home and sobbing announced that I would never go back to the school.

It turns out that the first hours in school were spent talking about the student’s duties and obligations and the wide list of punishments available to be used by teachers to the badly behaved students. As this speech wasn’t fair to me, I thought that everyone would agree that this school wasn’t a good place for me and it would be a big mistake in my education to go back there.

The rest of the day and part of the evening were quietly spent with my family dismantling all my arguments, always coming reconciling with “don’t be afraid”, to what I would answer, with my blushed face still wet from the tears: “I’m not afraid at all!”. I just had to wait until the next day to show them I wasn’t afraid at all.

Raul Atalaia Actor, Portugal

38

Since I was was living next to the school, I saw the schooyard all the time from my window.

Me, my brother and my neighbours were spending also our free time there, cause the place was perfect to play tennis, basketball or football. Almost every day after school, homeworks and all kind of hobbies I came home, took a glance out of the window to see who is on the schoolyard and I ran out. We were there till dark, so when the ball wasn’t visible anymore it was the time to go home and sleep.

But of course this was happening only in summer.

During the winter we had other activities. When I Zuzana Hudekova was a little child there used to be enough snow Visual artist, Slovakia everywhere, comparing with nowdays. So, when the whole schoolyard was under the snow we used to do big snowball fights, which were happening during the big breaks but also in afternoon. Once I became very angry on one boy who broke the rule, cause he throw one very freezed snowball straight to my face after the fight was officialy finished. That was the reason of my first real fight with a boy.

After some great time we have spent on the free schoolyard one very nasty and unfair rule came out. The schoolyard was closed during the weekends and evenings and guarded by a big scary dog. But we didn’t give up, cause being on the schoolyard was our live. Since all of us have had a great view on the schoolyard it was easy to see when the dog is there and when not. If “the air was free” we have called to each other, jumped over the very high fences and playing till dark again. But of course, it wasn’t always so easy as it seems. Many times we saw the dog with his owner runnig towards us. We had to be always prepared for an organized and concentrated escape, but after some time we were so trained that nobody could catch us.

They say, that children already fall in love in the kindergarden. Their emotions can’t be taken anyhow less seariously or underestimated. All children are firstly open and not afraid to show both negative and positive reactions, which are clearly readable for people around. Without shame and inner censorhip. As time goes by little persons adapt from adults fears – they enter A little hiding theatre – masquerade – and only show what they think is appropriate. Especially when it comes to love.

I have had luck to be in three different schools – a small school in the country side, one in town and one in capital city. Bigger were more anonymous, rushy.

The smaller – more sincere, caring atmopshere. At school I saw many masks and I used to wear them too, because it was more safe. Of course I, as all the other girls, fell in love. At school it was often hidden. Here’s a little example of A little hiding theatre scenes at school: 1st: Do-not-care mask.

At the moment The Boy stepped into class The Girl, turned her head and looked out of the window to see, what is the weather like today…

2nd: Do-not-notice mask.

The Girl started from one and The Boy from the other end of the coridor – beige tunnel. Meeting in the middle was inevitable. A moment before passing each other, The Girl looked down to check her shoes. Then she opened her schoolbag and started to search just as if something was missing. Just at a very moment when they were passing each other The Girl suddenly looked behind as if she had heard her name being called out...

3rd: Many-things-to-do mask.

Schoolparty. Dr. Alban’s evergreen hit “It’s my life” was playing. The Girl was giggleing in the girls circle, The Boy was talking to the boys nearby. The Boy came to The Girl to ask her to dance. The Girl laughed little bit and said, that she really

had to go somewhere and urgently must do something really important just at this moment…

The Boy and The Girl were actually head over heels inlove with eachother. Really?

These masks are imaginary, but give a good hint. Behind there were sincere children, that we all have inside, who actually have wish to be open and honest when it comes expressing any feelings. Without A little hiding theatre. Love is not only gender issue, it is much more wide, it has to do with creation, respect, care and values among human beings. As much as I remember – school meant for us most of all learning relations – how to deal with friends, teachers etc.

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

MASKS: A Little Hiding Theatre At School

Mari-Liis Velberg Theatre Educator, Estonia

39

40

3rd Annual Encounter – Dresden /Germany June 2011

3rd Annual Encounter Dresden /Germany June 2011

T

he Annual Encounter of Platform 11+ brought together more than 100 artists from 12 European countries for the third year in a row, from the 15–18th of June 2011. This year, South American artists provided

an added attraction to the European meeting: The group ‘La Factoria’ from

Santiago de Chile put on their play ‘Martin’, a play which rose out of the project ‘Schoolyard Stories in Ibero America’ (see page 110).

Once again, the purpose of the Annual Encounter was to present the results of the project work which had been done in the preceding year, to reflect on experiences and to make new plans about tightening the strings of the European Network even more.

After the first Annual Encounter in 2009 in Budapest, and the 2010 Encounter in Palmela, Portugal which brought together visual artists and performers, the 3rd Annual Encounter in Dresden brought professionals and amateurs together. The focus of the Dresden festival was on the 8 co-productions of the partner theatres. But of equal importance was the Youth Event with students from the partner school of tjg, Buergerwiese.

An Annual Encounter built on the founding ideal of the Platform 11+ project work. A crossover event: professional actors and visual artists involving

Opposite: Babel (Book of Errors 1–5) by Bouke Oldenhof (NL),

themselves in creative activities with the target group with whom they share

Coproduction Theater de Citadel (NL) / Teatro Elsinor (IT)

an equal footing.

This page: LOOK! A Sight Seeking Tour: ‘Hanging around’ in the schoolyard (Gymnasium Bürgerwiese)

41

3rd Annual Encounter – Dresden /Germany June 2011

Look! A sight seeking tour A different kind of sightseeing tour was put on by the pupils from the Buergerwiese Gymnasium for the international guests at the beginning of the encounter. The guests were invited to take part in the adventure ‘LOOK! A Sight Seeking Tour’, featuring the kids’ voices and the sounds of Dresden’s streets. Based on many different street-art activities, the kids showed the visitors their favourite places in a special way.

the Festival There was an extensive co-writing process prior to the co-productions.

Authors from two, sometimes three different countries, devised texts in differing ways for the 11–14 year old target age group. These 8 plays (together with the 17 plays from the ‘National Phase’) have been published in the book ‘New Theatre Plays from Europe and South America’.

These texts had already been premiered by each of the theatres as co-productions. In this way the collaboration between artists, directors and actors from different countries was continued: it was really all about work-

This page: LOOK! A Sight Seeking Tour Opposite: tjg.Theater Junge Generation – outside by night

42

The fact that all the theatres completed both the complicated process of co-writing and that all of the rehearsal periods culminated in productions for the target age group proved the participating theatres work at a high professional level.

It goes without saying that such artistic endeavours cannot take place without conflicts. The participating artists, however, described this phase as an enriching experience rather than as a hindrance. This displays their openness for one another and the aspiration to discover the ‘European Value’ in a concerted, creative effort.

The 8 productions, which originated from the project, differed from one another in theme, form and length. The tjg. theater junge generation in Dresden/Germany with its variety of performance spaces and its big staff proved

the working processes, about the difficulties and challenges involved and

to be the ideal place for the Annual Meeting and its presentation.

about what should happen to each of the plays in the future. It was different

Each play was performed at least twice. The majority of the audiences

from ‘normal’ post performance discussions. It was more to do with reflecting

in the morning performances belonged to the target age group, the evening

over what it means to work together as Europeans than about opinions about

performance of the same play was seen by mainly festival participants. Dis-

the seen play.

cussions about the viewed performance took place every evening, despite the fact that the days were long and full of activity. Authors, directors, the production team and performers, all had the chance to inform themselves about Opposite: Meeting in the Festival Tent

3rd Annual Encounter – Dresden /Germany June 2011

ing together and not merely being confronted with the results of other people’s work.

Approach to language Questions, which arose repeatedly were the approach to language and the feasibility of performing the plays in the future. The question of language

This page: Opening of the 3rd Annual Encounter

is one of the central issues in ‘international’ co-productions for young audi-

45

3rd Annual Encounter – Dresden /Germany June 2011

Regardless of which solution to the language challenge was chosen, it was always evident that the playmakers took the question of understand-ability very seriously. And even when the young audiences couldn’t understand every single word, the distinctive intercultural features of the performance was made clear through the different language. The nature of theatre makes it possible to understand what the characters are doing even though one doesn’t understand all the words.

The question of the feasibility of putting on this sort of co-production is no less complicated than the language question. A lot of energy goes in to a production that only gets shown a few times because the actors come from all different corners of Europe and it’s difficult to get them together again.

Here too, the theatres searched for solutions which encompassed the basic idea of the projects, (the intensive exchange of experiences gained ences. The artists dealt with the language problem in very different ways.

through common work) and which also suited practical requirements of their

All of the participating theatres are ‘spoken word’ theatres, all of them use

everyday theatre life.

dramatic texts as a basis for their work. Thus all participants wanted to use

The majority of the plays, which were presented with a mixed (inter-

dialogue in the plays. Sometimes two or more languages were used within

national) cast in the Annual Encounter in Dresden and in other festivals (see

one play, sometimes the same play was performed in two versions, first in

Mini-Festivals, page 55), were then put on by the participating groups in their

one language and then the other, sometimes the classic method of subtitles

own theatres using actors from their own ensemble.

was used.

In ‘HELP!’, the Hungarian-Estonian co-production, the authors made the theme of the language barrier into an integral part of their play. In order for the Estonian boy and the Hungarian girl to survive their dramatic situation,

This page: Late Night Talks – Discussions about the coproductions

they had to communicate with one another in ‘broken’ English. Estonian was spoken, Hungarian, and simple English… that could be the sound of Europe!

46

Opposite: Making further plans with European colleguages

3rd Annual Encounter – Dresden /Germany June 2011 47

host theatre aided relaxed discussions, polemical debates and creative solutions. Here in these gardens, new mutual plans for the future of PLATFORM 11+ were born.

Workshops and Youth Event In the months leading up to the Annual Encounter, a series of meetings with an international working group, and the directors of all partners devised a plan for the Youth Encounter, which would utilise the stories and themes inherent in the professional co-productions, which would be shown during the festival. The work would also focus on the pan-European nature of this extraordinary gathering.

This plan involved around 120 Dresden youth being ‘shared out’

It was a good plan. Except that it didn’t allow for where the youth team at

amongst all companies to devise a welcoming party for each performance.

tjg were at with their work. It was in a way an imposition of the group on the

This would give the young people the opportunity to learn something of

individual. In the final weeks before the project, when face-to-face meetings

the country, the company, and the work they were producing. In effect, they

could happen and relationships begin to be built, the plan was stripped back

would become our ‘interpreters’ for the German speaking audience… a mod-

to its barest essentials: the raw materials.

ern day Greek Chorus.

Workshop leaders come in all shapes and sizes; their approaches, techniques, Opposite: Workshop in Gymnasium Bürgerwiese with Andrew Siddall (EEA, UK)

3rd Annual Encounter – Dresden /Germany June 2011

The warm summer evenings and the cosy atmosphere in the garden of the

skills and methodologies. We may like to think of ourselves as Europeans with a shared understanding and creative abilities which transcend national borders – but in fact our training, schooling, cultures and personal experiences

This page: Workshop at Gymnasium Bürgerwiese with Marcos Belmar

have a huge bearing not just on what we deliver as facilitators but on how we

(La Fractoria Teatro, Chile)

deliver it. The tjg team were clear in their request: we want our young people

49

3rd Annual Encounter – Dresden /Germany June 2011

etc. It was a mammoth day and by the end everyone was tired, exhilarated and intrigued.

Our main aim through this exercise was to give the participants as much control and choice over where they wanted to spend their days with us. It would give the young writers chance to write, the designers the chance to design, the actors to act etc – but each would be in a group with a secondary skill – perhaps something they hadn’t considered or explored before. In addition, it gave them the opportunity to choose their teachers: to go in a group where they liked the personalities of the leaders. This aspect seemed to be particularly important: how often does a young person get to choose WHO to learn from? Schools and youth groups or clubs rarely offer this option. If you have the choice of which group to be part of there are a few questions to consider… who do I want to work with, which friends do I want to stay with, what do I to engage directly with these differences, to face them head on, learn from

want to learn, what do I want to be seen to be learning, what do I want to

them and see what happens. Can we take away the themes and the plans and

be seen to be good at? Peer pressure plays a significant role and trying to

just have the people, and more importantly, their skills? Yes we can. But it’s a

get beyond that; to loosen the strength of it, was at the heart of the process.

bit scary. In fact, it’s a lot scary.

We ended up with five working groups of varying sizes and ages. There was We asked our facilitators not to prepare anything, but to just arrive and be

still some ‘pack mentality’ visible in the groups of friends working together,

open. We then paired them up and asked them to combine their talents to

which of course is fine and to be expected - but there were also some brave

produce an exciting 20 minute ‘taster’ workshop in which all young people

individuals who walked their own paths and chose a facilitator or a skill be-

could participate. We then split our youth into groups and sent them, con-

fore thinking where their friends were. It was clear that the dancers were with

veyor belt like, around six different workshops covering physical theatre and

the dancer, the makers with the maker: the noisy students with the noisy fa-

prop making, costume design and site specific installation, writing and acting Both pages: Youth Event with students from Gymnasium Bürgerwiese

50

paid off. Over three days the youth worked hard, bonded, laughed, groaned, created, struggled and celebrated.

The five groups could be loosely divided into: Attila Pomlényi (HU) & Richard Hurford (UK) Text & image Chloe Osborne (UK), Filipa Burgo (PT), Ilaria Ariemme (IT) & Inga Vares (EE) Installation & storytelling Eric Bruenner (DE) & Maija Tuorila (FI) Costume & group action Gyuri Vidovszky (HU) & Lotte Lohrengel (NL) Choreography & character Marcos Belmar, Paulina Flores, Sebastián León & Matías Pozo (Chile) Physical theatre / pantomime

ferent set of skills and a different way of interacting with an audience. It was as always a fleeting moment in time but the images and the snapshots are as strong in my mind now as they were then: a shy smile behind a silver mask,

Our final moment of celebration and sharing came on the last day of the fes-

a red apple steady in a white hand, a blue t-shirt frozen in flight, a grinning

tival, in between the youth festival and the evening of stage shows – a frantic

handstand, a brown paper ship in the wind…

day of on-site rehearsals, installation, lost costume, mass movement, laughter,

The opportunity to learn and to experience new skills, to build new

silver foil, brown paper and apples. Our brightly colour-coded groups made

relationships, to stretch and challenge ourselves is as important for the pro-

vivid interventions against the walls and grounds of tjg: funny, touching, rau-

fessionals as it is for the youth. A huge ‘Thanky ou’ is due to all concerned

cous, silent and heart warming. Each team showed a different approach, a dif-

3rd Annual Encounter – Dresden /Germany June 2011

cilitators, the quieter with the quieter. The opportunity to make choices had

for making it possible, for being open to opportunity and for rising to the challenge.

Opposite: The Final of the Youth Event in tjg Andrew Siddall (UK)

53

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

I was eleven and in the fifth grade. It was early spring and already so warm outside that we could play in schoolyard during the breaks. We boys played a ball games and girls ran and shouted around us. Suddenly my classmate took the ball and bashed it against a girl’s head. The girl got hurt and began to cry. And I felt a huge sense of anger and unfairness. I went to my classmate and hit him three times in the face with my fist. His nose started to bleed, and tears started to flow from my eyes. It was the first and the last time that I hit anyone.

Then the teacher came and tried to resolve the situation. I cried and cried, because something had burst out of me, I had no idea what it was. The teacher was angry at me but I did not notice it, I only looked at my classmate who wiped his bleeding nose. The other classmates rushed to help him and looked at me with contempt and surprise.

Oliver – that was his name – had become some sort of hero and I seemed to have lost all my friends. I did not speak with anyone for the rest of the day. I longed for the moment when I could disappear after the lessons were over. It was the longest schoolday in my life. At last it ended and I ran to the locker room, got my coat and rushed out of the schoolhouse. Burgeoning spring burst against my face but it felt as though something had died in my soul. I had become a criminal. I hurried home, so that I could speak to my mother and father about everything that happened, but they were not yet at home.

Meelis Põdersoo Actor, Estonia

54

I sat on the couch and waited for them. My feeling of solitude was so big that when my mother came home, I ran to her, hugged her and began to cry. I told her the whole story and I was ready for a punishment, I even wanted to be punished, but mother told me to wash my face and hands, “and then we will eat, „brawly man”. Brawly man.

I did not want to be a brawly man, I just wanted to be a man. Next day I went to school and apologized in front of the whole class.

It was always exciting to go into the schoolyard, to see who was there already, to see if your best friends were there or to parade around a bit. Nikes and Levi’s were the fashion and my Nikes were a dark fake but I was still a part of the group. Obviously this is important for me. There is a new girl in class, she comes from the big city and speaks differently, I am impressed, and I hope that we will become girlfriends.

The tough guys in our class were Barry and Jeroen. I was infatuated with a tough guy named John. I didn’t dare to kiss him, but other girls were already kissing boys. On the schoolyard we played football, a kissing game, a game using an elastic band and of course sometime s we just hung around and chatted.

It was an unusual mixture of still wanting to play on the schoolyard and the excitement of playing a kissing game. I practiced my first kiss with my best friend… practice… after that I dared to kiss John. This ‘spring love’ consisted of drawing a lot of hearts and did not last long. I had a nice group of friends, in the breaks we did sneaky things, like smoking. Someone bought some cigarettes or had stolen them from home. We were not allowed to leave the square, but we did so in order to go and have a smoke. I don’t think that we really liked it. We stood secretively in the school parking between the cars… suddenly four teachers appeared and told us to come back to the schoolyard. We ran away and didn’t dare to come out of our hiding place. Our red bearded teacher called Bert was very disapLotte Lohrengel pointed with us and we had to apologize Director for what we’d done. I was embarrassed and The Netherlands regretted it.

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

I had a diary in primary school, in which I would note how long it took me to learn a certain subject.

Slovak language was the winner, that took me five minutes. In the exam I got the same result – a 5 (F). Comrade teacher told us, that Lenin had freed people from the bad dragon and my friend cried because her mother went to church. Despite all of this I liked going to school. It was the time of independence. Of discoveries. I was fascinated by everything I had learned. It was a time of running Iveta Škripková up the stairs, of gossiping in toilets, Director, playwright, Slovakia being a member of a gang. I had a hard time joining a gang, I didn’t like it, but everybody had to belong somewhere. One group against another one. Class B against class C. Even back then, I knew how to hit (the ball) and I allowed my classmates to copy my homework, so they let me in the gang. We would laugh our heads off, I don’t even know why.

High school? My geography teacher made me laugh. He claimed that the blank maps would come to life, if we drew the rivers right… My Slovak language teacher told me, that if I wanted to survive, I’d have to understand, that people were wolves. The other one said that blue eyes were enough for the Math teacher. What shocked the most was when I realized that you’re able to learn everything, but you don’t have to understand it…

55

2

011 was the year of premieres in the Platform 11+ project. All of the European co-productions were to have had their premieres before the 3rd Annual Encounter in Dresden, so that they could be seen there by

a maximum number of project participants.

A further Mini-Festival took place in York/UK where ‘Help!’ from Tallinn/EE came to ‘What Light’. There were a number of phases in this co-production.

The plan worked, and even before the 3rd Annual Encounter, most of

It was co-written by a Hungarian-Estonian team. The premiere was held in

the plays had already been presented as guest performances in the theatres

the Kolibri Theatre in Budapest/HU. The actors and stage set were from Bu-

of their production partners. A number of Platform 11+ co-productions came

dapest. The Estonian version took place somewhat later in Tallin/EE, both of

together for the so called Mini-Festivals in each of the cities of York, Milan

these productions are now in the repertoires of both theatres. The Hungarian

and Budapest.

actress Nora Sallai flew to Tallinn before the 3rd Annual Encounter in Dresden

‘Beginning’ (EEA/Oulu City Theatre/ Teatro OBando) opened the flood

in order to rehearse a mixed version of the play for Dresden with the Estonian

of pemieres during the festivals in Oulu/FI in February 2011. The whole crew

actor Meelis Pödersoo. The play is still being performed in this 3rd version,

went on tour in May: to begin with, both production partners in Palmela/PT

recently, for example, it was performed in the Segnali Festival in Milan.

and in London/UK were visited. Then it went on to Milan. Here the team met

The Portuguese-Czech co-production ‘pirat07+QueenOfLove’ had

up with their colleagues from York/UK who performed their British-Italian

its premiere in March 2011 in Plzen/CZ. There was a guest performance

co-production ‘What Light’. The Dutch-Italian co-production Babel was also

of this play in Palmela/PT. The performances of ‘pirat07&QueenOfLove’

performed at this Mini-Festival. The premiere of this play had been in Groningen/ Holland.

touring of the co-productions and the Mini-Festivals

touring of the co-productions and the Mini-Festivals

and ‘Beginning’ marked the start of the Teatro O Bando summer season. ‘pirat07&QueenOfLove’ was also put on at the Mini-Festival in Budapest in 2012 on the occasion of Kolibri Theatre’s 20th anniversary. The mixed version

pirat07&QueenOfLove by Petr Vodička and Ensemble – Coproduction

of ‘Help!’ was also once again successfully performed on this occasion.

of Alfa Theatre & Teatro O Bando. Marta Abreu (PT), Milan Hajn (CZ)

57

Stories (ATINA)’. ‘Martin’ also had a

play became a part of the tjg repertoire and then, after this, went on to per-

guest performance in Buenos Aires/

form for a week in Brageteatret in Norway. After this, two separate national

AR in October 2011 at a small festi-

versions were worked on until the summer break in 2011. The German version

val which was organized by ATINA.

of the play is still in the tjg repertoire. The Norwegian version had a long successful run, now, however, it is no longer being performed.

To work in a European way, transgressing both territorial bor-

Two versions of the play ‘Salto Mortale’ were born out of the Slova-

ders and language barriers, is a

kian-Estonian co-writing process. The premiere of the Slovakian version, di-

huge challenge for all of the part-

rected by an Estonian, was in Bratislava in Spring 2012. In turn, the Estonian

ners. A complicated organisational

version, directed by a Slowakian, should have been presented. Unfortunately

process is necessary if the pre-

ABEL

B

DRESDEN 17/06/2011

can Partner project ‘Schoolyard

place in Dresden. After the premiere in Dresden, the European version of the

MILANO 19-20/04/2011

The majority of the rehearsals with the German and Norwegian actors took

THEATER DE CITADEL / ELSINOR TEATRO STABILE D’INNOVAZIONE PRESENTEREN IN HET KADER VAN PLATFORM11+

GRONINGEN 12-14/04/2011

representative of the South Ameri-

(BOOK OF ERRORS 1-5) Written by Bouke Oldenhof With Stefano Braschi, Sjoerd Meijer, Giuditta Mingucci, Lies van de Wiel Videodesigner Boris Stockman Directed by Rob Bakker

this plan didn’t come to fruition. It was for this reason that ‘Salto Mortale’

mieres are to be seen in more than

was only on tour once, in Dresden. Now however there is an Estonian version

one location. One thing, however,

in the VAT theatre repertoire.

has become very clear: The idea of artistic exchange within Europe and

elsinor

Teatro Stabile d’innovazione

‘Last First Week’ was a text based on the work of two Swiss authors

beyond its borders reached a new quality through the international guest

and one Hungarian author. It was presented in Dresden as a staged reading

performances. Along with the participants’ own work in the context of trans-

by actors from both countries. Unfortunately Junges Schauspielhaus Zuerich

gressing borders, the viewing of the co-productions and the discussions

pulled out of the planned performance. The promising text is thus waiting

about them in the framework of the 3rd Annual Encounter and the Mini Festi-

to be put on.

vals was described as a very rewarding experience.

Without a doubt, the longest journey was had by the La Factoria Company

A further step of this artistic mobility will be the extensive Tour of the Final

from Chile with their play ‘Martin’. It presented itself very successfully as the

Production ‘Face Me’.

touring of the co-productions and the Mini-Festivals

The German-Norwegian production ‘Thinking Time’ took a path of its own.

Left: HELP! by Péter Horváth / Aare Toikka - Coproduction Kolibri Theatre & VAT Theater. Nóra Sallai (HU), Meelis Pödersoo (EE)

59

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

There was a time in high school when one didn’t want to become famous for the wrong reasons. This meant that you really needed to be aware of the way you talked, walked or got dressed because it could go wrong. And suddenly you could be in the spotlight only for laughable reasons.

So I was 13 and I didn’t have so many friends. It was a new school with grown-ups; my older brother was also there.

There was a group of cool girls in my class with whom I really wanted to be friends. These girls liked a guy from the 11th grade.

He was my brother’s friend and for me he was just that. Friends with my brother. At least this one was not my type of guy.

Towards the end of one day we were telling each other jokes and talking about girl’s stuff, and there it was at a corner of the room lying at the table: Tiago’s notebook. At that moment we decided to write some messages so that he would know that he was gorgeous.

We took the notebook to the bathroom and started writing: Tiago your hair smells like roses, Tiago we love you. Tiago we love your style! We looked at it and something was missing. Oh it’s a kiss! One of us had a red lipstick (never figured out how nor why) and Samanta kissed the page gently; ‘your fans’, we wrote!

We left it there and on our way out, at the end of the school day, Tiago’s friends saw the message in the notebook and laughed so hard that Tiago had to leave school, running and hiding.

Marta Abreu Actress, Portugal

So our plan was not so good. Because he was unhappy about it, his friends laughed about it, and my brother took the notebook home and blackmailed me with it for some time.

The worst was that I didn’t even like Tiago. But I won new friends, lifetime friends. We are still friends nowadays and now is the time for us to laugh about this old incident. This was only the first of many similar incidents.

60

I wasn’t one of the cool kids at secondary school, but nor was I an outsider. I belonged in the middle, with the majority. I didn’t have quite the right clothes but there would always be one garment that fitted the bill: Isba in wintertime, College shoes in summer, a Monclear quilted anorak (certainly not with down.)

I lived in Oslo’s west side.

You could broadly divide the pupils into three groups: those with rich parents, those with parents at the university and those with parents workLiv Heløe ing at the Gaustad mental Playwright, Norway hospital. Mine were at the university. We lived in a villa but did all the repair work and painting ourselves. We had a car but it was a Ford, not a BMW. The Christmas Ball in the ninth grade, our last year at school, was a big event. We planned for weeks, bought the best dresses and suits that we could afford, and

hoped for decent company at the meal. The gymnasium had been decorated, the eighth-graders served our food, and afterwards there was dancing.

I don’t remember much of it. That’s strange, actually; it was an important evening. But I do remember an episode after dinner. The ball was, of course, nonalcoholic; we were 15 years old. Just as predictable as the school’s no alcohol policy, though, was the fact that some pupils had hidden bottles of beer in the schoolyard. The headmaster knew this. After welcoming us and inviting us to be seated, he went off to inspect the school grounds and found the bags full of beer.

Then he waited in hiding for their owners. He caught the kids in action and called their parents. A persistent man.

One of the mothers immediately got into her car and arrived a few minutes later in the schoolyard. She looked like all the girls wanted to look – fit, smart and tanned. She got out of the car. A big crowd gathered in silence around the headmaster and the boy he had caught. The mother walked up to the headmaster and greeted him. He handed her the bag. She took it but kept standing completely still, just looking at him. Then, smiling, with her eyes fixed on his, she handed the bag over to her son. He took it, as if they had an agreement. Then she turned, walked calmly to her car and drove away.

Nobody shouted, nobody said anything. We were totally taken by surprise and amazed by her arrogance, her sovereignty – and realized that both were based solely on the fact that she had so much more money than the headmaster. A shocking lesson for the children of a social democracy, even though we lived in the western part of Oslo.

Some years later that same headmaster ended his career in the Norwegian school system and took a job behind the till in a supermarket. I don’t know why.

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

AN EPISODE IN 1979

61

62

Drammen, norway

B

rageteatret is a professional theatre, run by Buskerud County and Drammen City, founded by the County and the Norwegian State.

Brageteatret’s main aim is to produce and present plays for young

people. The content of the plays should be from the perspective of children

and young people, as well as incorporating a multicultural perspective. As

the Cultural Rucksack

from 2011, Brageteatret has been producing plays for adults as well.

The theatre started as a project run by the cultural authorities in

In 2001 Norway established a new concept aimed at exposing all pupils be-

Buskerud County in 1998, with the intention of building up a professional

tween 6 and 16 years to high quality art. The project is called ‘The Cultural

theatre in the county. From 2001 the theatre became a Public Organisation,

Rucksack’. In our region there are 146 schools, with a total of 32,000 pupils.

with its own board made up of members from the County. Brageteatret puts

Through this program, the pupils are guaranteed 5 cultural encounters with

on more than 350 performances each year. Approximately 40,000 people see

art: Theatre/dance performances, concerts, exhibitions, literature and cultural

the company’s plays every year.

heritage. This means a total of 150,000 ‘Cultural Rucksack-Experiences’!

Through this project we are all developing a unique network, provid-

Brageteatret is responsible for offering a variety of theatre/dance perfor-

ing us with the possibility to learn, to discuss and to exchange our knowledge

mances. Sometimes we present plays we have produced ourselves, some-

about communicating with young people through the dramatic arts.

Brageteatret – Drammen, Norway

Brageteatret

times we present productions which we have bought from other companies.

The Cultural Rucksack is a very well-organized project. It could be interesting to bring our experiences into this Platform 11+ project, as well as learning from the other countries, how they go about their work.

Thinking Time Ines Prange, Line Heie Hallem,Eldar Skar,Sarah MacDonald Berge

63

Brageteatret – Drammen, Norway

når Du Får tenkt Deg om (Thinking Time)

By Liv Heløe Nina meets Moreno, a young Roma, but keeps it a secret. In her youth,

Director:

Philippe Besson

during World War 2, Nina’s Norwe-

Set design:

Yngvar Julin

gian great-grandmother Ruth had

Music:

Bernd Sikora

met a German soldier named Wer-

Lighting design: Steffen Wodniczak

ner. In the play, two parallel stories

Actors:

Line Heie Hallem,

about falling in love and making

Ines Prange, Sarah

choices for the future are told.

MacDonald Berge and Eldar Skar

Thinking Time, our co-production

Technicians:

Magnus

with TJG, was performed in German,

Dahle Larssen,

last spring (2011).

Christopher Rygh,

After a nice reception of the German version, we started new

Thomas Evensen, Stig Vikestrand

rehearsals for our Norwegian version of the play. The two German actors were replaced with two Norwegian actors. During the rehearsal period we used Norwegian pupils as a referenceaudience, and in this way the play was adapted to our Norwegian audience.

We got a lot of very positive feedback on our website – many students posted nice reviews to us. For Brageteatret, the collaboration with Theater Junge Generation was a very useful and educational experience. We wouldn’t have got the same great results if it hadn’t been for TJG and Platform 11+.

Line Hele Hallem, Eldar Skar in Thinking TIme

64

PLATFORM 11+, Brageteatret and Galterud skole 2011

This spring, two teachers and seven pupils will go to York, to work with other students who are also involved in the co-production. The teachers have

2011 has been an eventful, exciting and educational year, in terms of our col-

already had one weekend together. During

laboration with Brageteatret and the Platform 11+ process.

this meeting they planned the visit and

In February we received a beautiful gift from pupils in Tallin, which

the program for the students. They are

has been framed and is now displayed in the school hall. We sent out pop-art

now working on improving their man-

pictures and glass-angels to a school in Dresden. Terje Hartviksen transported

ner of presenting our school and town,

the glass angels with him and presented them to the Dresden pupils at the

before they leave in April.

opening performance of Thinking Time.

The glass angels are the result of our creative work with Before the Bell,

The pupils’ theatre work in York will be a great experience for them. It will provide great

and they are now being used as decorative ornaments in many parts of our

inspiration for continuing the process of making

school. Brageteatret has also received many angels as gifts from our pupils.

their own play here at Galterud in September.

In May, during the ‘Thinking Time’ rehearsals, Brageteatret’s co-pro-

Working with Brageteatret, we want to create

duction with the TJG in Dresden, a teacher and a group of students worked

something that reflects our school and our

as a reference group, together with the director and actors. We gave feed-

students, displaying the talent of our young

back to the artists: We told them what it was that we liked and we also made

people. Our working title is ‘Sense of Place –

some suggestions as to what might be done differently, particularly about

Galterud’, the idea is to use the whole school as a playing

the audience in the German version. Some months later all the pupils saw the

area, and to have a number of systematically arranged events happening si-

Norwegian version.

multaneously. We are looking forward to working with Brageteatret, and to

Our teachers, Linda and Toril, went to the teachers’ seminar in Palmela in April. They worked on drama practices, and got to know the teachers par-

Brageteatret – Drammen, Norway

Educational work

further involvement in Platform 11+ next year!

Galterud Skole

ticipating from the other countries better. They went to a play in Teatro Bando, and saw the visual art exhibition, which had been produced in the summer of 2010.

Glass angel, made of students from Galterud School

65

66

Plzen, Czech Republic

A

lfa Theatre was established in 1966. It is sponsored by the City of

The highlights of the decade from 1999-2009 were the productions of ‘Good-

Pilsen. The managing director has been Tomáš Froyda since 2006.

ness Gracious, It‘s the Dog heads’ (1999) and above all ‘The Three Musket-

The current creative team (artistic head and director Tomáš Dvořák,

eers’ (2006). The latter play won over twenty awards in the Czech Republic

dramaturgy Pavel Vašíček, and set designer Ivan Nesveda), together with non-

and abroad.

resident artists and the twelve-member company of actors, favors a comedy

During the last years Alfa has cooperated with some of the most pres-

based concept of theatre, seeing the puppet as a dominant and unusually

tigious directors of drama from the whole republic. Between 1970 and 2012

attractive stage phenomenon.

the theatre company visited lots of countries in Europe and also overseas.

The theatre performs to a broad range of audiences, including nursery-school

project, it was a co -production between Alfa Theatre and Theatro O Bando

‘Pirat07&QueenOfLove’ was created as part of the Platform 11+ children, young people and adults. For all of them it provides an alternative

(Portugal) and has so far been performed in Portugal, Germany and Hungary.

to the dominant media culture – an alternative featuring literary and artistic

Alfa Theater takes care of the sustainability of this project. The next show

quality, original staging methods (all kinds of puppet techniques combined

should take place in Norway. Alfa Theatre also made a Czech version of this

with live actors) and a composite stage form, with music (often live) playing

project and it has been played in Alfa Theatre in Pilsen as a part of the annual

an important role. Above all, there is the irreplaceable contact, through emo-

program.

tion and laughter, with live art – and, moreover, in a truly cultural environ-

The Theatre has been the joint organizer of Skupova Pilsen since 1967:

ment. The repertoire is broad in theme and genre, from classical and modern

the Festival of Puppet Shows, a biennial competition of professional Czech

fairy tales to world drama.

puppet theatre and alternative theatres. The 29th Skupa’s Pilsen festival is go-

Divadlo Alfa – Plzen, Czech Republic

Divadlo Alfa

ing to be held in Pilsen from 17th until 21th June 2012. Part of the program Hamleteen by William Shakespeare

will be the co-production project ‘Face me’ which will have its opening night

Adaptation by Tomáš Jarkovský, Jakub Vašíček

on 18th June.

67

ting close to her is pretty difficult.

Director

J. Vašíček (guest)

And so you find yourself gradu-

Set

K. Bělohlávek (guest)

ally falling deeper and deeper into

Costumes

T. Venclová (guest)

chaos…

Music

O. Müller (guest)

This darkly grotesque musical about growing up is based on

Dramaturgy P. Vašíček Cast

the entire company plus

one of the pillars of world drama

guests Ondřej Bauer,

– Hamlet, William Shakespeare’s

Diana Čičmanová and

most famous tragedy. Hamlet

Daniel Čámský

tends to be interpreted as a drama

Premiere

of revenge, power and the inability

The production is aimed at children

to decide. Hamleteen, however, fo-

aged 13+ and adults

27 February 2012

cuses on the private dimension of

Hamleteen William Shakespeare – Tomáš Jarkovský – Jakub Vašíček

the classic story. Against a background of dramatic events, it looks at the way in which the teenage Hamlet tries to come to terms with the world around him, a world whose dark side he is just beginning to recognise as his personality develops. He sees that even the people whom he had previously accepted

Surviving adolescence isn’t easy. Will the teenage Hamlet survive it?

unconditionally (his parents, authority in general) are far from perfect. And

Surviving your own adolescence is no fun. What if your dad happens

as that happens, he realises more and more how difficult it is to create and

to be king? And what if he’s murdered by your uncle? And what if your mum

maintain generational and inter-generational bonds – between friends, fam-

is sharing a bed with that same uncle? One morning you wake up, open your

ily members and romantic partners.

eyes and realise that you are surrounded by hypocrisy, unbridled ambition, narrow-mindedness and duplicity. No wonder you start asking yourself bizarre questions (“To be or not to be?”). Luckily, as well as all these repulsive

Hamleteen

people in your vicinity, there is also a rather amazing girl. What’s more, it looks

Blanka Josephová-Luňáková, Milan Hajn

as if she might even – in her own sort of way – be interested in you… But get-

68

Educational Work

Acting workshops for adolescents Pilsen‘s Alfa Theatre has been holding acting workshops for young people on a regular basis since January 2010 Fourteen adolescents, one workshop leader, one main subject: a train journey as pilgrimage through life…

“An endless number of carriages In each, numerous travellers Each traveller has a story Where might they all be going?

Where might we all be going?”

After last year’s successful variation on

­gossip, the value of friendship, insouciance in starting up romantic relation-

Commedia dell’arte, this year we have

ships, the need for belonging and acceptance, the desire to create…

decided to focus on auteur work.

The production, which has the

It all takes place in a train carriage, and sometimes outside it, a little lightheartedly and a little seriously.

working title ‘Train’, consists of studies

Can we turn the clock back on some events? Can we get into another

by the actors in the form of travellers’

train? What acts as our alarm cord? Reality becomes a dream, the credible

stories. The students chose their subjects

becomes absurd… In the end, it is all the fruit of one traveller’s imagination,

themselves: a difficult relationship with

and everyone is just a character in the book she is writing.

a father, discrepancies between an individual’s thoughts and actions, malicious

Blanka Josephová-Luňáková, workshop leader

69

70

Budapest, Hungary

K

olibri Theatre started as an alternative puppet theatre in 1992 with

the youngster battles with the painting job whilst aggressively cursing and

the separation of the State Puppet Theatre subsidized by the City

blaming himself for having committed the crime and getting himself into

Council of Budapest. It operates with a permanent company, in

trouble. One day, the one-time boxing champion unexpectedly starts to

which the puppetry and prose sections have become equally important. This

speak…

is the first children’s theatre in Budapest where each age group can find the performance suitable for their interest and development. Three venues await the audience with a particular profile and independent artistic program, thus

A fight between generations?

“Perhaps because of my good relationship with my grandparents, I like stories

complementing each other. The rich repertory is characterized by a variety of

in which people from older and younger generations meet – says director

genres and responsiveness to what is new.

Laszlo Bagossy. The similarity between the two ages is that their possibilities

kolibri színház – Budapest, Hungary

kolibri színház

are limited when it comes to controlling their fate: children aren’t their own

the Heart of a Boxer

by Lutz Hübner

masters yet and elderly people aren’t anymore. The aggressive, disconcerted youth, lacking in confidence is the classical counterpart to the experienced, disillusioned old man. Their defenselessness, the seemingly hopeless situation in their lives unites them however, and they come to support each other.”

Sixteen year old Jojo is sent to community work after having stolen a motor-

Last year Laszlo Bagossy directed Viaduct by Janos Hay at the Kolibri Theatre,

bike. He is sentenced to paint walls inside an old people’s home. Leo, who

a performance which later won a critics award for best new Hungarian play.

recently suffered a severe stroke sits in an armchair, hearing in silence how

He says that the teenagers are the toughest audience, they don’t accept vagueness or genteelness. They can easily recognize if the theatre doesn’t

The Heart of a Boxer

speak truthfully about our world, and they reject any didactic grown-up

Tibor Nemeth, Gergo Bardi

cleverness in a piece of theatre.

71

kolibri színház – Budapest, Hungary 72

“I completely lack the kind of pedagogic motivation that often comes into question when we talk about youth theatre he says. As a director

Director

Laszlo Bagossy

Set / Costumes

Krisztina Ignjatovic

Assistant director Andrea Hajsz

I’m guided by a professional curiosity and my viewpoint is aesthetic.

LEO, resident of the old people’s

I like working with the material;

home, in his late sixties

forming and shaping the texture

Tibor Nemeth

is what gives me pleasure. I believe

JOJO, a teenager, around sixteen

that if a performance works well, if

Gergo Bardi

it’s truthful and enjoyable then it automatically has an effect and is able to educate. It uncovers emotions, truth, beauty and ugliness. It presents problems, it touches and makes us think. “

The Heart of a Boxer

The Web Emporium

by Akos Nemeth

The actors remain in character during the talk. They answer questions and discuss with the kids.

3. Monologues “It would be good to hear what each group thinks of their character. Tell us

On drama pedagogic workshops that follow the performances – from a

what they found out about you, and what you found out about yourselves”, I

drama teacher’s perspective

say to them.

All performances at the Kolibri Children’s and Youth Theatre are followed by dra-

The actors give short speeches (in character) in which they explain

ma pedagogic classes. Kálócz László gives his personal account on a theatrical

what was being discussed in the groups. The overlapping speeches naturally

post-show workshop:

turn into a discussion between the characters: they make remarks, they add

We offer a workshop for school groups that visited the performance where they

to the other characters’ speeches.

get a chance to form their own opinion, to openly discuss the problems presented

4. 5. 6. Situations, Scenes, Exercises

in the performance. Alongside discussion we use means such as theatrical game-

This is the central and most important part of the workshop in my opinion. It’s

playing, use of conventions, methods etc. Here is a description of the workshop

essentially free form as we try to fit each game to the given age group.

for ‘The Web Emporium’.

1. Group discussion

The group collected the information on the characters, we all heard it

Kolibri Színház – Budapest, Hungary

Educational work

from the speeches they gave. We know what their problems are, who could

After the performance there is a short discussion with the whole group. The

help them, what it is that they need. The drama teacher ought to keep open

question I asked is if the scene-changes in the performance were clear. One

ears during the discussions in the small groups, but he or she can still gain

pupil asked me what the ending is, or more specifically, why there is no end

information from the speeches and has some time to think about what situ-

to the story. We talked about that. I asked them why they think that there are

ation he might throw the characters into. It would be impossible to explore

no grown-ups in the play. Their answer was “because they work, they aren’t

all five characters in five situations in the given timeframe, therefore, we join

at home…” I usually leave this subject and get back to it at the end of the ses-

situations, characters and scenes together so that we can have a look at all

sion. The actors then come to join us…

of them.

2. Characters and their burdens – conciliation in small groups

7. Finishing

I might say to the kids “There are five characters, please tell them what you

“Where are the parents, why don’t we see them in the play?”, I ask. The answers

thought they were like. What is missing from their lives? Please choose one

were that the parents don’t see their kids, they don’t care, or sometimes the

character who you find sympathetic or interesting and join their group!”

kids don’t want the parents to be there…

73

74

Milan Florence Forlì, Italy

E

lsinor Teatro Stabile d’Innovazione is the first inter-regional centre for theatrical production and performances in Italy. Elsinor puts on plays for children and teenagers. As well as this, it organizes theatri-

cal seasons and training laboratories, carried out in three regions, all of which are considered highly influential for Italian theatre: Lombardy, Tuscany, and Emilia Romagna.

Elsinor is represented by ‘Teatro Sala Fontana’ in Milan, the ‘Cantiere Florida’ theatre in Florence, and the ‘Giovanni Testori’ theatre in Forli. It also manages the theatrical seasons of Teatro Cristal in Salò and Teatro Comunale in Galeata.

Elsinor’s commitment to the exploration of contemporary theatrical prose, and the exchange and synergies inspired by traditional and new ap-

By diverse forms of collaboration between artists, local governmental institutions, universities and schools, in response to the increasing demand for access to theatre as a didactic tool, Elsinor offers theatrical training, workshops and special events to schools all over the national territory.

An important example of this is ‘Segnali’, a children’s theatre festival organized in collaboration with ‘Teatro del Buratto’; and the two youth theatre festivals: ‘Il Fiorentino’, in Florence since 2007, and ‘Platform Milano’, since 2011.

proaches to theatrical classics, is shared by all the artists, directors, scenog-

Elsinor has also presented the historic event ‘All’improvviso Dante’,

raphers, set designers, costume designers and actors of various backgrounds

a public reading of 100 hundred verses of Dante’s Divine Comedy, performed

who make Elsinor what it is today.

in significant and important locations in the cities of Milan, Bologna and Florence, where the event is already in its seventh season.

Theatre Workshop at Teatro Elsinor

Elsinor teatro stabile d’Innovazione – Milan Florence Forlì, Italy

Elsinor teatro stabile d’Innovazione

75

Elsinor teatro stabile d’Innovazione – Milan Florence Forlì, Italy 76

the Black Corsair From Emilio Salgari’s novel Adapted by Giuditta Mingucci This is a story of love and revenge.

Emilio di Roccanera, Lord of Ven-

Direction

timiglia, is a beautiful, elegant hero

Set / Costumes Nicole Figini

and an experienced swordsman but

Choreography / Movements

his soul is tortured by melancholy and his sense of duty. He left his

Raffaella Boscolo

Camilla Frontini Cast

Raffaella Boscolo,

homeland to avenge his brother’s

Stefano Braschi,

death. His brother was the victim

Giuditta Mingucci

of a terrible betrayal by the Flemish

Alessandro Quattro

Duke Wan Guld. Emilio and his two younger brothers became Corsairs.

But his two younger brothers, the Green and the Red Corsair, were captured and killed by the enemy, leaving Emilio, the Black Corsair, alone with his sorrow and the responsibility for revenge. But on the beautiful Caribbean Sea, amidst adventures and hurricanes, something unexpected is waiting for him.

With the Black Corsair standing at the stern, the stage becomes a scaffold, the deck of a ship, a theatre of emotions, violent passions and acute desperation.

The Black Corsair Stefano Braschi, Alessandro Quattro

Elsinor’s workshops in secondary schools in Milan and surrounding areas

Street Boys’, from Ferenc Molnar, with the Fondazione Sacro Cuore, in Milan;

resulted in many different productions this year. They will be presented in

2 versions of ‘Un anno in favola’, from Esopo, Fedro and La Fontaine, with 2

the second ‘Festival Platform 11+ Milano’, in May 2012, together with other

class groups of the Istituto Candia in Seregno; all the adaptations from the

youth productions from schools from Milan and Lombardy: ‘A Christmas

original texts are by Giuditta Mingucci.

Carol’, by Charles Dickens with the kids of Collegio della Guastalla in Monza; 3 different versions of ‘Il Corsaro Nero’, from the novel by Emilio Salgari, with

Other workshops with high schools are going on with the Istituto Imiberg in

3 classes of the Istituto Frassati in Seveso; ‘Iliade A’, from Omero, with 93 kids

Bergamo, with the kids of Liceo Sacro Cuore in Milan, Cometa in Como and

of the Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado Andrea Mandelli, in Milan; ‘The Paul

Dante Alighieri in Rimini.

Elsinor Teatro Stabile d’Innovazione – Milan Florence Forlì, Italy

Educational work

77

78

Groningen, The Netherlands

I

n 2013 Theater de Citadel will celebrate its 20th anniversary. It has expanded into a renowned theatre company for children and teenagers in the Netherlands. Furthermore it is the only Dutch theatre company that

specifically aims at primary and secondary education.

It is a political choice to work in this way. Through our work, children from all

The company works with professional actors and produces about 3 new plays

layers of society get in touch with theatre. The choice to bring theatre to the

each year. These productions are suitable for people aged 4 and upwards.

schools is not a random choice. School is first and foremost a place to learn

One of these 3 productions is specially aimed at the 11 to 18 year old age

subjects such as mathematics and writing, but it’s also a place for social skills

group. On average, the company performs 130 shows a year, mainly in the

and creative activities. On top of that, it’s the place where one meets one’s first

North of the Netherlands. Most performances are done at schools, in gyms or

enemies and friends, or where one has one’s first kiss.

in the classrooms, and there is a strong relationship with the teachers at the schools. Each production is accompanied by educational materials, specially

Theater de Citadel wants to expose children and youth to beauty. Especially

made for the particular production and its audience. Theater De Citadel also

at this age. Especially in this world. Theater de Citadel wants to teach children

presents plays in their own theatre.

and teenagers to ‘read’ the theatre, to love the theatre, to give them insight

theater de Citadel – Groningen, The Netherlands

theater de Citadel

into the world of the theatre, so they can learn to distinguish between styles and genres.

Super Almarkt by Bouke Oldenhof Joost Gimbel, Teddy May de Kock

79

theater de Citadel – Groningen, The Netherlands

voor de Lieve vrede For The Sake Of Peace ‘Voor de Lieve Vrede’ is a musical play. Saskia is the daughter of a professional

Text Concept/Cast

Saskia Driessen

with her mother. Her father is gone and her mother is waiting for her father

Musicians

Martin Grudaj, Nermin Tulic

to come home. Saskia looks, questions and investigates. Who are my parents?

Direction/Dramaturgy Sybrand van der Werf and Willemijn Barelds

Who is my father, if he is not at home? Why is my mother always moving the

Set Design/Light

furniture? How do I say goodbye? And how do I know for sure that he will

Costumes

Freja Roelofs

come home safely?

Choreography

Bibi Yann Bakker

Décor

Martin Steeghs

Play period

24 October – 2 December 2011

Your parents give you your life, your family and lot of other things, and they

Text

Bouke Oldenhof

want you to take care of what they’ve given you. You are grateful but you

Direction

Lotte Lohrengel

want to move on. The world is big and full of opportunities. There is so much

Dramaturgy

Ludo Costongs

to gain in the future. This play takes place in a changing Netherlands and Eu-

Set Design/Costumes Jorine van Beek

rope, where the family Albertsen, owners of Super Almarkt is struggling with

Cast

‘Voor de Lieve Vrede’ is a play about faith, about being brave and loyal. During a time of peace, our most important mission is to keep the family to-

Adriaan Beukema

gether. In times of war, there is always the unfailing hope of a new beginning.

super Almarkt (EuR-opa) The World On Your Table

their own rise and fall.

Opposite: Voor de Lieve Vrede

Joost Gimbel, Teddy May de Kock, Gerdy Niehof, IJbert Verweij, Lies van de Wiel

Play period

80

Barry Hofstede

soldier, who is often sent to war in foreign countries. Saskia stays at home

20 February – 27 April 2012

For the sake of peace In ‘Voor de lieve vrede’ Saskia Driessen played a soldier’s daughter.

She does her best to keep her family together for the sake of peace. ‘Voor de lieve vrede’ was performed for children aged 12 upwards. Before coming to our play, each class took part in a workshop, its theme was also ‘peace’. The participants had to think about their own situation, their own family and what they can do to keep their family situation good, for the sake of peace. During the workshop they also played out some scenes from the play.

Super Almarkt (EUR-opa) This production is all about collaboration, crisis and what if… The EU collaborates to maintain peace. The family in the play tries to collaborate to create a range of supermarket stores. But the crisis affects the EU and the family. And what should be done next?

Every pupil gets his own exercise book. In this book they can make assignments, individual or classical. It is divided into four chapters, with different text passages from the script. The pupils can watch short films about the

Theater de Citadel – Groningen, The Netherlands

Educational work

beginning of the EU, and about the crisis. They can debate about the meaning of money and about what they think of the EU. In the third chapter the pupils have to look at their own family. In the last chapter they have to make predictions about their future. Who will they be in 20 years time, where will they be and how will they be living then?

After they’ve seen the play, the pupils are invited to write a poem. And so, some schools even discover they have a poet in their classroom.

81

82

Palmela, Portugal

F

ounded in 1974, Teatro O Bando is one of the oldest cultural coopera-

1993, the performance in the walls of the buildings in 1990, Bichos, the damp

tives in Portugal. Teatro O Bando is a group that chooses the aesthe-

fog over the spectators in Ensaio Sobre A Cegueira in 2004 and the seagulls

tical transfiguration as its mode of civic and community involvement.

flying over the Jerónimos Monastery in Saga in 2008.

Street theatre and activities for children in schools and cultural associations, integrated in decentralization projects, are the basis of the company’s work

The company continues to search for originality in their creations, aiming to create art works which surprise and have a cutting edge. These art

O Bando creations are defined by their plasticity and staging dimen-

works are the result of a collective methodology in which a shared artistic

sion, characterized mainly by the Scene Machines. The dramaturgical work is

direction accommodates the differences and conflicting points of view, until

also very important, providing the explicit pasting of literary materials and

the conflicts reveals their potential. The resulting work of art is often way be-

the inclusion of colloquial expressions. The texts used are mainly derived

yond what the collective first envisaged and quite unpredictable.

from Portuguese authors, rather than standard dramatic texts.

teatro o Bando – Palmela, Portugal

teatro o Bando

Teatro O Bando aims to transgress a wide range of borders, rural or

Over the years the company has created more than 100 different

urban, adult or child, learned or popular, national, or universal, dramatic, nar-

shows. The company’s 4,500 performances have been seen by approximately

rative or poetic. Throughout their journey, the group was linked to multiple

1.3 million spectators, not counting the Peregrinação, which in Expo’98

national and international projects. The group continues its touring activities,

reached an audience of 3 million. Although the larger shows are not always

presenting several shows throughout the country.

the easiest ones to remember, the people who saw Montedemo in 1987, will

Ten years ago, after several moves, O Bando finally settled on a farm in

never have forgotten the actors running in the darkness of the forest. Also

Vale dos Barris, Palmela, where unexpected, potential stages made of stars, of

unforgettable was the steam train entering the station in Gente Singular in

trees and cliffs can be found. O Bando is waiting to welcome any one who visits with soup, bread and cheese, Muscatel and a cosy chat next to the fireplace.

The Clown’s Death by Raul Brandão

83

the Clown’s Death

Text

Raul Brandão

Dramaturgy/Direction

João Brites

Out of a gallery of marginalised characters whose end-

Libretto

Nuno Júdice José Mário Branco

less paths cross once in a while, out of a collection of

Musical Composition

refugees always on the lookout for a summer that never

Musical Direction

Jorge Salgueiro

comes, an indigent clown emerges, pitting himself

Scenic Design

Nuno Carinhas

against the world, ‘as if some vermin from the sewer

Orality

Teresa Lima

had grown wings and started to fly’. Twenty years later,

Corporality

Jo Stone

Teatro O Bando returns to the words of Raul Brandão

Costume Design

Clara Bento

(1867–1930) and to the music of José Mário Branco, but

Props

Fátima Santos

we could hardly call that a re-run, because in the minds

Light Design

Rui Simão

of these tireless alchemists to insert a show in a new sce-

Sound Design

Joel Azevedo

nic landscape and dramaturgic vision necessarily entails

Artistic Direction Assistance António Braga da Silva

new ways of organising and perceiving it.

This A Morte Do Palhaço (The Clown’s Death),

Actors

Ana Brandão, Guilherme Noronha, Paulo Castro

which is co-produced with São João National Theatre, is

Singers

Christian Luján, Diogo Oliveira, Inês Madeira,

a show in which everyday life comes closer to dreams,

Paulo Carrilho, Sara Belo, Sandra Rosado

even though it has to sacrifice reality to do so. This pro-

Maestro

duction aims at breaking down invincible doors, doors

Musicians Bruno Sousa, Catarina Claro, Jacinto Loy Perez

Jorge Salgueiro

that will not open, that will not bend and will only break

Rodriguez, Marisa Correia, Ricardo Sousa,

under the weight of a life, because someone must al-

Rogério Monteiro, Sara Araújo

ways die for humanity to take one step forward. Twenty years later, João Brites restlessly returns to the same

Created by Teatro O Bando. Co-produced by Teatro O

questions: “What are our dreams and desires? What

Bando and Teatro Nacional São João

strength do we need to attain them? And who will stand by us in that struggle?”

84

Recommended for ages 16+ | First performance: May 2010

able to participate. Six students were given the challenge of exploring their region based on a personal and artistic perspective. Thus, they have set up a play (‘Auto da Barca do Inferno’) inspired by a Portuguese playwright – Gil Vicente. For inspiration students have also performed their self-portraits and they have taken photos of nearby areas. In York there will be a photo exhibition which will have 20 photos taken by these Portuguese students.

teatro o Bando – Palmela, Portugal

We also have been preparing the youth exchange ‘Through Our Eyes’, that will be hosted in York (UK) and where students from Poceirão’s school will be

Educational work In 2011 we continued our work with Poceirão’s school, adapting texts from Platform11+ authors as well as texts from Portuguese authors. Our commitment to support their work has been developed through the School’s Theatre Club activities. In this particular context, students have been motivated to create their own texts and to present a show to their colleges.

Workshops at Poceirão’s school

85

86

York, United Kingdom “the best theatre companies play many parts... ”

P

Pilot have recently launched Pilot Live, an interactive year long programme of events accessed through the website, following both Pilot’s and other

ilot deliver an inspirational programme of 21st Century storytelling,

artists and arts organisations’ work, presenting text, ideas, conferences and

creating both theatre and creative digital opportunities with emerg-

chat. Other initiatives include Drama on Demand, a series of plays and short

ing and experienced artists, produced with both new and existing

pieces to listen to as and when in foyers, libraries and other public spaces.

partners.

In 2011 Pilot ran the 3rd of their technology conferences as a TEDx

Pilot creates, develops and tours pioneering high quality, culturally

event – TEDxYork – A New STEAM age, to promote sharing between the

diverse theatre work and works across a range of platforms to produce and

Arts, Learning and Technology sectors. This will be followed on July 5th 2012

inspire creative projects for all but with particular focus on young people.

by Shift Happens IV, A New Hope.

In addition to performance, Pilot Theatre delivers an extensive range

Pilot theatre – York, United Kingdom

Pilot theatre

http://tedxyork.com, http://shift-happens.co.uk

of opportunities for engagement and development, including workshops, international residencies and exchanges, training events, conferences, discus-

Future work includes a production and national tour of Loneliness of the

sions and online resources aimed at encouraging active audience participa-

Long Distance Runner

tion and giving young people direct contact with professional artists.

Pilot Theatre’s new media and online strategy is at the forefront of

“A long distance race. Real time. Follow one runner, alone with his thoughts.”

the industry, finding new ways to promote better audience interaction by

Colin is defiant. A young rebel, inhabiting the no-man’s land of de-

utilising many different platforms to engage with as many people as possible.

tention centres and young offenders’ institutes, as his steady running rhythm transports him over a harsh, frost-bitten earth.

Adapted by BAFTA winning and Olivier Award nominated playwright

Black Bird by David Harrower

Roy Williams OBE, this gritty adaptation of Alan Sillitoe’s classic text hits the

87

ground running; unlocking the biting realism of the original book while plac-

filming The Knife That Killed Me based on the novel by Anthony McGowan

ing the drama firmly in a contemporary frame.

and the Company are preparing to livestream and create a digital record of

Letter from the Boy to the Man by Henry Raby at Edinburgh Festival;

York’s production of The Mysteries in August 2012 for The Space http://www.

Ghost Town by Jessica Fisher (Winner of our Platform11+ playwriting competi-

thespace.org as well as starting work on a major community production for

tion Generation Zed); Pilot Theatre’s Artistic Director, Marcus Romer is currently

2013 about the History of York as a city of Social Reform and Chocolate!

Blackbird

by David Harrower Why now? Why here? What does she want from him?

He was 40. She was 12. It wasn’t right, but despite what they said he was

Director

Katie Posner

Designer

Lydia Denno

never ‘one of those’. Ray has done his time. Now, 15 years later, he just wants to

Sound Designer Craig Veer

get on with his new life. But today she has come and found him again.

Cast

Pilot Theatre takes this thought provoking piece and exposes an unflinching portrait of two people making sense of a painful past. The produc-

George Costigan (Ray) and Charlie Covell (Una)

tion played York Theatre Royal, the Tron Theatre Glasgow, Mercury Theatre Colchester and Exeter Northcott.

David Harrower is one of Scotland’s most successful playwrights and Winner of the 2007 Laurence Olivier for Best New Play for Blackbird.

‘Blackbird is a drama that mixes guilt, memory and desire into the most potent of theatrical cocktails’ – Daily Telegraph ‘It is rare, in fact, that one gets an opportunity to be so hyperbolic about a production – this is by quite a long way the best piece of theatre I’ve seen at the Theatre Royal’s Studio’ – British Theatre Guide

88

Black Bird by David Harrower George Costigan (Ray)

Pilot theatre – York, United Kingdom

Educational work Tales Without Words was a sixweek project that we ran with our partner platform school, Manor, York. In weekly sessions, run by a variety of practitioners, we explored a variety of different visual theatrical styles including mask, clowning, dance-theatre and ensemble movement. The group will use the skills they learnt in the project to create a performance that will be performed in York Theatre Royal’s studio theatre in July 2012.

This follows on from a successful festival of work by four schools in 2011 inspired by the themes from Pilot’s own production of What Light.

award in which the young person creates a portfolio about the week, this can

Three young writers from Manor School co wrote What Goes Up, a darkly

be in the form of photographs, notes, internet research, drawings and also

comic tale set after a mysterious apocalypse, Joseph Rowntree School pre-

includes interviewing a hero in the arts and seeing a live performance.

sented Hush, a world submerged, a forgotten landscape with a hidden secret, Don Valley School devised and produced Dami and Canon Lee, Time Flies.

Throughout the Autumn we ran workshops for schools and colleges associated with Blackbird to accompany our online resources.

Arjunan Manuelpillai and Kate Plumb (Youth Theatre Director YTR) worked with a group of 11–14 year olds over a week in the summer holidays on a new production of Arje’s Platform play School Ties which was performed

What Goes Up at Manor School

in York’s studio theatre. The participants could also gain their bronze arts

89

90

Bratislava, Slovakia

T

he Theatre Institute (founded in 1961) is a modern European institution financed by the Slovakian Republic’s Ministry of Culture. Its aim is to provide the Slovakian and international public with extensive

information services about theatre. The priorities of the Theatre Institute are

scientific, research and publishing. Its main focus is on research of Slovakian

presentation of contemporary drama. The Studio 12 organizes various discus-

drama and theatre from the time of the establishment of the first permanent

sions, seminars, presentations of books published by the Theatre Institute

professional theatre in 1920 until today. Also, in co-operation with its partner

and other publishers, concerts and other cultural and social events. It offers

institutions, it participates in various research activities about general theatre

its space to several festivals of alternative music, supports the active work of

culture in Slovakia and abroad.

young artists and small community groups. (such as the theatre of homeless people)

The Studio 12 was founded in December 2001 as an initiative of the Theatre Institute in Bratislava to establish a theatrical space intended for presenta-

Our partner: Puppet Theatre at the Crossroads in Banská Bystrica is focused

tion of new Slovakian and world drama and contemporary art. The priorities

on young children, as well as children from primary schools and their parents,

of the Studio 12 programme are original activities, projects of guest thea-

teenagers and adults. It is the first professional theatre in Slovakia which ex-

tres from Slovakia and abroad, workshops, educational programmes and

plores gender themes and presents images of women and girls in the society.

the theatre Institute / studio 12 – Bratislava, Slovakia

the theatre Institute / studio 12

www.theatre.sk, www.studio12.sk, www.bdnr.sk

Afternoon with Andersen – Stage Reading Theatre on the Crossroads, Banska Bystrica

91

the theatre Institute / studio 12 – Bratislava, Slovakia

Milk teeth The Theatre Institute is part of the Platform 11+ project and, as such, it organizes a laboratory of a contemporary drama called ‘Milk Teeth’. It is a cycle of introducing new authors and staging their writing projects (mainly students or graduates fresh from artistic schools).

This platform for young artists was established in Spring 2007. Its goal is to make co-productions possible and to provide dramaturgical support for the authors who may later work in professional theatre.

Studio 12 is special theatre space, providing a place for young creators to show their work. During the last season there were four new Milk Teeth productions staged: ‘Manual’ (directed by Ondrej Remiáš), ‘Three–Four Monkeys (Save The World)’ (directed by Zuzana Hudeková), ‘Hunter of Secret Police Agents’ (directed by Andrej Kolenčík), ‘Washingmachine or Improvisation On Pears’ (directed by Matej Moško).

Top: Milk Teeth Production Manuel (directed by Ondrej Remiáš) Bottom: Three – Four Monkeys (directed by Zuzana Hudeková)

92

Creative drama workshops and writing for ­children

Dramatically Young 2012

The Theatre Institute is now in its fifth year of the Creative writing project. It

The Theatre Institute announced that the ‘Dra-

is aimed at children young people up to 18 years old. The main goal is edu-

matically Young 2012’ competition will be held

cational work in the field of script writing. The project aims to provide the

again this year. This the third year in a row for this

participants with an environment conducive to writing, a place where they

competition, the aim of which is to find the best dra-

will be able to develop invaluable skills so that their confidence and ability to

matic text written by authors under 18 years of age. The competition is open

work as a team can grow. The project should improve communication skills

to anyone who has interesting ideas and who feels like trying their hand at

and offer an outlet for self expression. It is a series of regular workshop in

writing a dramatic text or a play. There are no thematic restrictions. Winners

various theatres all over Slovakia, where a dramaturg of the theatre leads a

will be awarded with attractive prizes.

class once or twice a week on the subject of writing plays for ­children.

The competing texts are evaluated by a jury composed of theatre profes-

All the classes meet in June at the

sionals and professional playwrights. The prize-winners will be announced

National Theatre showcase called

in June during the national theatre showcase ‘Touches & Connections’. The

Touches & Connections, on ‘Jun-

plays written for the competition are stored in the public library of the Thea-

ior Day’, where they have a pub-

tre Institute and are a valuable resource for teachers from various primary and

lic presentation of their working

high schools, who conduct theatre workshops in schools. One of the plays

methods and staged readings of

from the competition will be staged as a theatre performance by children in

the plays children wrote during the

a Studio of Dance, Movement and Theatre in Bratislava.

The Theatre Institute / Studio 12 – Bratislava, Slovakia

Educational work

year, directed and performed by professional actors.

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94

London, United Kingdom

E

mergency Exit Arts is a leading light in outdoor arts with a national

2011/12

and international reputation for creating unforgettable, celebratory

This year EEA has created more unforgettable events and productions.

outdoor events that engage communities and stimulate cultural de-

In June 2011 we hosted ‘Beginning’, our co production with Oulu City Thea-

velopment. EEA redefines non-conventional theatre in public spaces and

tre and O’Bando, built a successful youth project around it, and launched our

delivers accessible performance across multi-language and cultural barriers.

P11+ Playwrights Competition.

From our base in London, we work with a large team of multi disciplinary specialists designing, producing and creating participatory events and outdoor productions.

There were carnivals galore inspired by international stories from the Silk Road to Africa. Our floating spectacular ‘Wishful’ was presented on a river in

Since 1980 EEA has pioneered culturally diverse outdoor performance

the West of England and our giant mythical creatures invaded the city streets

and street music, pyrotechnic theatre, engagement with hard to reach com-

of Eastern England with a company devised production of ‘Fair and Fowl

munities through outdoor work and the inventive design and construction

Play’.

of large-scale live animations. Through this experience EEA has developed a Street Arts Academy that engages young people through devising and pre-

In autumn we ventured to the far north of England to create ‘Ironopolis’ –

senting performance and visual arts interventions in public spaces.

celebrating the centenary of the great Transporter Bridge that rises up over

Emergency Exit Arts – London, United Kingdom

Emergency Exit Arts

the River Tees. This symbol of the enduring skills and entrepreneurial spirit of this industrial region was the backdrop for our performance presented through poetry, dance, digital animation, pyrotechnics and music.

The Goldon Coach in The Royal Greenwich Navel College

In preparation for the London 2012 Olympics we worked with deaf and disabled children creating special lanterns to launch the Paralympic Games Flame

95

Emergency Exit Arts – London, United Kingdom

Festival. In January we returned from our Christmas break to find that our local borough of Greenwich had been granted Royal status and we needed to create an emergency celebration in three weeks! The fabulous processional pageant was created by a team of artists working day and night to design and make giant illuminated figures, a mechanical Golden Horse Drawn Carriage, and gigantic costumed Kings and Queens accompanied by hundreds of lantern bearers. This celebration of our local and national heritage was a fitting start to what will be a truly memorable year in London and Europe for Emergency Exit Arts. @EEALondon or find us on Facebook

PEnt up!

Focussing on new writing for performance by young teenagers, PENt Up was a training programme leading to public performance which used a three tiered professional mentoring system to encourage and support personal expression through text. We worked with students, teachers, young aspiring writers and professionals with each helping those with less experience. Script writing was a key focus but the project also made space for prose, poetry, rap and song writing, and culminated in a Cabaret evening of indoor and outdoor work with the audience encouraged to put pen to paper in creative response.

Funded in part by Clore Duffield and Platform11+, this was a huge

Above: The PENt Up Team experimenting with interactive performance in Greenwich Park.

success and is the beginning of a series of linked events throughout 2012.

Opposite: We Are The Future Workshops as part of the Street Arts Academy’s 2011/12 programme.

96

Flexible – responsive to the needs of young people Scalable – from small interventions in everyday life to large scale theatricalities Integrated - linking to local service provision and current concerns, forming partnerships with like-minded organisations to achieve artistic excellence Sustainable – providing social impact and progression routes for young ­people

With the world looking to London for the 2012 Olympic Games, EEA is forging opportunities for young people to become part of their city’s cultural event.

We are working with 86 young people aged 12-19 to create The Nucleus En-

Educational work

semble – an outdoor performance group that devises work for community

EEA believes that:

currently in the process of developing a marketing campaign; designing cos-

and cultural events in their local areas. Governed by a core group, they are a) The art making process unites people from diverse backgrounds in a positive shared experience

tume and props; participating in specialist master-classes with industry experts; devising material for performances and developing their project blog

b) That everyone has a right to engage in cultural activity

site – http://greenwichgames.tumblr.com

c) That, through engaging in positive arts activities, young people can explore

and develop communication and social skills, confidence, motivation to

In collaboration with the Imperial War Museum (specialists in social his-

learn and the capacity to imagine, play and believe in their own potential

tory) we are holding a Creative Symposium – We Are The Future that will

Emergency Exit Arts – London, United Kingdom

We strive for our Youth Arts Programme to be:

allow 100 young people from across London to share their creative journeys In recent years EEA’s Youth Arts Programme has deepened through reflection

through presentations, performanc es and youth-led workshops. It will be an

and reconstruction inspired by working with our Youth Panel. Members, as

opportunity for young and emerging activists, artists and critical thinkers to

young leaders, are informing the creative development of our programme

get together and explore how young people can use public space to commu-

through their dynamic approach and altruistic attitude.

nicate with their communities. http://wearethefuture2011.tumblr.com

97

98

Oulu, Finland

O

ulu City Theatre is ideally located on the island of Vänmanninsaari

also innovative theatre and new domestic and foreign premieres, especially

in the estuary of the Oulu River, close to the commercial centre

new plays written by northern Finnish playwrights. The theatre is annually

of the city and just beside the Market Place. There is also a bridge

visited by 80,000 spectators in 350 shows. A seasonal repertoire also includes

connecting it to another island, housing the idyllic artistic community of

a premiere for the younger audiences, and theatre education is based on

Pikisaari. Since the theatre is somewhat larger than the island on which it

ongoing cultural programmes and ‘god-parenting’ local schools and colleges.

stands, part of it is built out over the water.

Ahti Ahonen retired as the theatre’s Director at the end of 2011. As from the 1st March 2012 the new CEO Arto Valkama and Artistic Director Mikko Kouki

The professional theatre in Oulu was established in 1931. ‘Oulun kaupungint-

will launch a new phase in the theatre’s history. Further changes within ad-

eatteri’ is still the most prominent theatre in northern Finland presenting

ministration have occurred because the Oulu City Theatre became a limited

8–10 premieres annually as well as the Oulu Children’s Theatre Festival,

liability company as from the 1st of January 2012.

oulu City theatre – Oulu, Finland

oulu City theatre

which takes place annually during week eight. It is Finland’s oldest and still one of the largest theatre festivals in Europe for young audiences. The 31st

Oulu Children’s Theatre Festival won the Theatre Deed for Children and Young

Festival, held from the 20–26 February 2012 featured 24 different productions

people of the Year Award at the annual Thalia Gala in Helsinki in March 2012.

and international guests from Estonia, Hungary, Sweden and Spain.

The Artistic Director of Oulu City Theatre and Festival, Mikko Kouki, and the Festival Producer Sari Tanner, accepted the prestigious award from the

Over 100 permanent staff and four stages with full modern technical equip-

legendary actress Eila Roine and the Cultural Minister Paavo Arhinmäki. With

ment provide a great frame for large-scale classical drama and musicals but

this new wind in the Festival’s sails, the ship is ready to venture further than ever before!

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

99

oulu City theatre – Oulu, Finland

Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s story about a lonesome student Raskolnikov

Director

on the streets of St. Petersburg is a

Set/costumes Reija Hirvikoski

world classic. This modern adapta-

Photography Joona Petterson

tion brings it strongly into the 21st

Cast

Arja Petterson

Elina Korhonen,

century. A strong cinematic world

Mikko Korsulainen,

combined with Russian heavy

Mirjami Kukkola, Tatu

metal music makes the play into

Mönttinen, Kari J.

contemporary poetry in the spirit

Ristolainen

of Dostoyevsky. Why does a young

Premiere

man choose murder? The depths

Recommended for 14-year-olds +

6.10.2011, Small Stage

of the human soul are conveyed in the psychological inner drama of the main character played by Mikko Korsulainen. The philosophical questions of morality, guilt and love captivate audiences from one generation to the next all over the world.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

100

Oulu City Theatre’s youth involvement began with dramaturgical workshops in the autumn 2011 to prepare a class of 13 year olds from Myllytulli School to act as a youth jury in the Platform11+ National Play Writer’s Contest.

Structure of plots, the expression of plays and conventions of theatre were discussed, and the students were directed to write their own short texts.

During early 2012 the class read and discussed all the plays submitted in the contest and interestingly chose as their winner the same play as the official jury. During the 31st Oulu Children’s Theatre Festival the project classes came to see VAT Teater and Kolibri Theatre co-production Help!

In the spring of 2012 the youth workshops continued with the students from

oulu City theatre – Oulu, Finland

Educational work

Myllytulli School and a class from Oulun Normaalikoulu. A Czech production called Pirate07&QueenofLove, written by Petr Vodička during Platform11+ 2010–2011 season, was taken as a starting point for performing and visual workshops to produce a virtual/new media youth production. Inspired by the themes and the strong visual elements of the original production, the groups embarked on a journey into comic books, fantasy characters, animation, virtual reality and the world of computer games. The work culminated in a live/ virtual performance and filming session at the theatre in May 2012.

Left: Set Designer Maija Tuorila working with young people to produce virtual cartoon reality Above: Pupils with Sound Designer Olli Paakkolanvaara creating a sound world for youth production

101

102

Tallinn, Estonia

V

AT Theatre, the first independent Estonian theatre group, was formed

But there is always a price to pay…

on October 1, 1987. VAT is a small repertory theatre company, the

The musical fable, featuring music by Tom Waits, is a demonic and bi-

performances of which are visited by 25,000 people annually. In the

zarre allegory about modern man – his alienation, insincerity and relations

repertoire there are adult plays and plays for young people. VAT Theatre is

with evil.

truly popular in Estonia, as one million Estonians are regular theatregoers. In the theatre’s work there is a special place given to modern plays and to plays

Director

written by contemporary Estonian playwrights.

Designer

Kathrin Hegedüsch (Germany)

Video designer

René von der Waar (Germany)

VAT Theatre tries to touch each spectator’s soul. The company’s main

Christian Römer (Germany)

direction can be described as theatre minimalism. It has adopted the princi-

Movement director

Marge Ehrenbusch

ples of epic and physical theatre.

Singing teacher

Zoja Hertz

the Black Rider

vAt teater – Tallinn, Estonia

vAt teater

Music is performed by ‘Tunnetusüksus’ with Rivo Laasi, Mart Soo, Tanel Ruben, Eduard Akulin, Mart Süda, Eve Pütsepp.

The Casting of the Magic Bullets Performers Katariina Unt, Sandra Uusberg (Tallinn City Theatre), Lauri SaatYoung Wilhelm falls in love with Käthchen, the huntsman’s daughter. Her fa-

palu, Raivo E. Tamm, Margo Teder, Tanel Saar, Meelis Põdersoo and Ago Soots

ther agrees to their marriage but only if Wilhelm can hit a target perfectly with a gun. To avoid failure, Wilhelm accepts the magic bullets offered by the devil.

Music and lyrics by Tom Waits, original direction and stage design by Robert Wilson, original orchestration by Tom Waits and Greg Cohen, based on the

The Black Rider From left to right: Margo Teder, Tanel Saar, Meelis Põdersoo, Lauri Saatpalu, Katariina Unt, Raivo E.Tamm, Sandra Uusberg.

book by William S. Burroughs, dramaturgy by Wolfgang Wiens.

103

vAt teater – Tallinn, Estonia

Based on the famous German folk tale ‚Der Freischütz’ and on Weber’s romantic opera, ‘The Black Rider’ is one of the most successful musical stage productions of recent decades.

salto Mortale ‘Salto Mortale’ is a story about ordinary youngsters in a not so ordinary environment – a travelling amusement park. In this situation, summer holidays do not mean laying on the beach with your friends. Summer holidays mean constant travelling and working for the family business. 14 year old Valter’s life consists of merry-go-rounds and manning the darts stand, as well as adventures with his friends and fights with his younger sister Anna. His sister seems to be the embodiment of perfection in their parents’ eyes. Valter sees Anna as an annoying girl and a spiteful tyrant who steals all positive attention away from him. This is also the reason he decides he must take action, once his best friend falls in love with Anna. However, his deed leads to conSalto Mortale – Liis Haab

sequences for which he must take responsibility. For real. This production is a collaboration between Slovakian Theatre Institute and VAT Theatre in the

104

Authors

Kristiina Jalasto and Michaela Zakuťanska (SK)

framework of project Platform 11+. Young playwrights Kristiina Jalasto and

Director

Kati Kivitar

Michaela Zakuťanska (Slovakia) wrote two youth plays that are based on

Designer

Pille Kose

the storyline and characters created together. Kati Kivitar (Estonia) directed

Lighting designer Sander Põllu

the version titled ‘Salto Mortale Kombat’ in Bratislava in spring 2011. In

Musical designer Ago Soots

VAT Theatre the play will be directed also by Kati Kivitar in the spring 2012.

Video designer

Peeter Ritso

Premiere: March 6, 2012 in VAT Theatre (National Library Theatre Hall)

Performers

Ago Soots, Meelis Põdersoo, Rauno Kaibianen, Liis Haab

There was also exhibition presenting the art workshop outcomes and educa-

The work with youngsters has mainly revolved around the P 11+ perfor-

performance.

tional work of ‘Salto Mortale’ held in VAT Theatre hall since premiere of the mances – ‘Paperclip Belt’, ‘Salto Mortale’ and ‘Help!’. (Extra information on

With ‘Help!’ ( by Aare Toikka / Peter Horvath) the process has been

our website). Four groups of youngsters have been engaged in these activi-

as follows. Merivälja school 5th grade group’s comments about the perfor-

ties: VAT Theatre Forum Group, Tallinn 32nd Secondary School theatre class,

mance are now on our web-page to give teachers an idea of how students

students from Tallinn Old Town Educational College and Merivälja School.

see the performance. Since spring 2011 we developed a workshop that links

We had already developed a workshop for ‘Paperclip Belt’ (by Mare

with the topics of the performance. Andres Karu, who leads the workshop

Sabolotny / Rein Agur) in a previous period, this workshop is still continuing

‘Help! Help Yourself!’, which is offered to teachers, combines rich experiences

and is being lead by VAT Theatre Forum Group members.

There has been educational activity in two schools with ‘Salto Mortale’ (by Kristiina Jalasto / Michaela Zakuťanska). Director Kati Kivitar, artist

in mountain climbing and survival in difficult situations. The workshop also gives the students the opportunity to examine their experience of the per-

vAt teater – Tallinn, Estonia

Educational work

formance more closely.

Pille Kose, music designer / actor Ago Soots and educator Mari-Liis Velberg met classes for the following activities: carrying out creative tasks (both written and in workhops) connected to the characters’ inner worlds given by director, completing musical tasks connected to the music of the performance and taking part in art workshops, which were exploring the characters’ inner world and costumes. Both classes were also invited to see the performance before premiere, and their thoughts were heard in the discussion after the performance, in which actors, directors and other theatre people and youngsters took part.

Paperclip Belt educational workshop in Audentese Erakool lead by VAT Theatre Forum Group.

105

106

Dresden, Germany

F

ounded in 1949 as ‚Theater für Kinder, Dresden, Deutsche Volks-

for the very young), which specializes in performances for children from 2

bühne’ tjg. theater junge generation (theatre of young generation –

years of age onwards. Every year about 85,000 visitors of different ages find

tjg.) is Germany’s second oldest and one of its biggest Children’s and

Youth Theatres .

their way into one or more of the 650 performances of 30 plays. There are about 20 premieres per season.

The company comprises of an ensemble of 18 actors and actresses, four musicians and since 1997, seven puppeteers, following the fusion with

The Theatre Academy (tjg. theaterakademie) was founded at the beginning

the Puppentheater Dresden, thereby forming the second department of the

of the 2008/09 season. It developed out of the department of theatre in edu-

tjg., the puppet theatre.

cation at the tjg, and was created to cater for new course stipulations which

In 1950, the theatre moved into the former ballroom ‚Constantia’ in

demand that students have practical experience. A central aspect is intensi-

the western part of the city, close to the banks of the river Elbe. The acting

fied participation – the Theatre Academy is a modern structure designed to

ensemble works in this building and performs there in three different sized

stimulate the making of plays FOR kids, teenagers and young adults – but

spaces, one of the spaces is a large hall, the other two spaces are studio stag-

most of all – to stimulate playing WITH them, letting the young people have

es. These stages can seat about 650 spectators. Performances of the Puppet

an active part in every stage of the creative process of playmaking. As from

Theater take place in the city’s centre. The studio theatre on Prager Straße has

Autumn 2011, the Theatre Academy started to focus on links between art and

a capacity of 100 seats.

politics in some of their projects.

tjg. theater junge generation – Dresden, Germany

tjg. theater junge generation

In the tjg. repertoire, one can find fairytales, classics, contemporary literature and, since 2008, the so called ‚Theater für die Allerkleinsten’ (theatre

The tjg. has been performing on several open air stages throughout the city during the summer months since the early 1990s. One stage has been set up

Parzival by Bernhard Studlar

in the city zoo and one in the middle of the city’s biggest park.

Alexander Peiler, Manuel Krstanovic

107

Parzival Written by Bernhard Studlar, adapted from Eschenbach and Wagner The boy really has no clue about anything: Raised by his mother in the depths of a forest, Parzival does not even know what a knight is. But he slowly realizes that he should become one. But shiny armour does not grow on trees and for adventures one needs to be far away from Mom’s apron strings.

Director

Behind the mountains, Parzival

Stage/Costumes Ulrike Kunze

discovers the rest of the world and

Music

Bernd Sikora

what love is and what honor means.

Cast

Isabell Giebeler,

But the quality of compassion is vi-

Manuel Krstanovic,

tally necessary if one is to become a

Charles Ndong,

knight of the Round Table. Will Par-

Alexander Peiler,

zival realize in time that only a small

Ulrike Sperberg,

amount of empathy makes the real

Ulrich Wenzke,

hero? In any case, he learns that everything one does has conse-

Above: Parzival by Berndhard Studlar Opposite: Isabell Giebeler in Parzival

Gregor Wolf Musicians

Tom Götze, Chris-

quences. The price of individual re-

toph Herrmann,

sponsibility is that one learns to live

Jörg Kandl,

with the results of bad decisions

Bernd Sikora,

and even accept created finalities.

Marc Dennewitz

Or simply and gallantly: One has to bear the echo of one’s own deeds.

108

Ania Michaelis

Target audience 10 years+

In September 2011, tjg. theaterakademie worked again with students of the ‚Gymnasium Bürgerwiese’, the tjg. partner school in the Platform 11+ project.

The theatrical confrontation concerning and abstracting the student’s everyday life was thereby part of the diverse educational work during the project.

In two weeks of intensive work at the theatre as well as in the school, students from 5th and 6th grades developed two scene collages titled ‘If I had to say what’ and ‘How I found my parents’. The aim was to give students the opportunity to become creative in two particular genres of the performing arts, radio plays and animation, to explore the specific characteristics of each

tjg. theater junge generation – Dresden, Germany

Educational work

genre. Stories of students which emerged during the first project week were then used as a basis for the further work. Next, in a writing workshop, the text was edited and transformed into scenes. The theme of the stories was ‘What if all men aged 13 would disappear?’

Students from 5th and 6th grade improvise freely on their texts at the rehearsal stage at tjg. theaterakademie

109

110

Kristiansand, Norway

W

e are a dynamic and creative Drama department housed in one of the best resourced facilities in Norway. We’re one of the few university drama departments in the country for graduate em-

ployment and we’re considered throughout Norway to be the number one

There are two large studios, a third smaller one, rehearsal rooms, state-of-the-

in Theatre for Young Audiences. Our courses focus on theatre for young audi-

art technical facilities, computer facilities and plenty of social space where

ences, contemporary theatre, drama in education and performance and allow

both students and teachers can plan their next productions. We work closely

the students to develop breadth of understanding alongside specialist skills.

with the Film, Music and Art and Craft departments. We interact widely with

The wide range of production activity ensures that students are continually

the Regional Theatre, Agder Theatre, located in one of the most spectacular

involved with staff and student-led performances.

Performance Arts Centres in Norway. Our students make an important contribution by their touring activities in the region.

The students get the chance to work with internationally renowned theatre pedagogues and drama specialists who regularly visit the campus. The Dra-

The Drama Department has considerable involvement in local and national

ma Faculty at the University of Agder in Kristiansand, in the most southerly

cultural life. We are co-organizers of the ASSITEJ Festival – Norwegian

part of Norway, is housed in the new campus area. The Drama department is

Children’s’ and Youth Theatre Festival running every second year in Kris-

a hive of activity, there are rehearsals, performances, discussions and research.

university of Agder – Kristiansand, Norway

university of Agder

tiansand. We operate ITYARN – International Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network – www.ityarn.org. Ityarn collaborates closely with ASSSITEJ International, and with universities worldwide.

A Midsummer’s Night Dream created by students of the University

We run the national interactive website and cultural school www.trafo.no –

of Agder

for young people between 16 and 30.

111

112

Schoolyard Stories in Iberoamerica Festival – The last stage

T

he Schoolyard Stories Project in Iberoamerica has come to an end, but

and we were testing the results. So, in order to persuade the schools to come,

it has given us lots of energy for the future.

we decided that the productions would be presented exclusively for schools

The final stage of the project was the third ATINA Festival – School-

and that the tickets should be free. We were sure that the lack of money could

yard Stories in Iberoamerica – Theatre for Adolescents, which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 11th to 15th October 2011.

We had high expectations about the outcome of these three years

of intense work. Up until the meeting in Buenos Aires, only the authors had

be a very good excuse for teachers to say they couldn’t come.

The free ticket idea worked. All of the 20 performances presented in 5 different theatres were sold out. Ten productions were selected from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Mexico.

been in contact with children during their initial research. For the rest of the

After each performance the company participated in a debate with

time adults had been working with adults, writing, participating in workshops,

the audience compered by a psychologist. During the debate we could see

publishing, discussing, exchanging ideas. Now we were facing the moment of

how the depth of the content of the plays, stimulated children’s interest and

truth, the moment when productions were to be presented to our audience:

opinions and provoked discussions about society, family and the life of ado-

adolescents. How will the young people react? How will the teachers react?

lescents. The children’s enthusiasm about their plays and their desire to learn

Would the schools decide to come to the theatre or would they have no inter-

and say more, exceeded our expectations.

AtInA – Schoolyard Stories in Iberoamerica

AtInA

est in coming? Questions and questions waiting for answers.

We made some decisions in order to encourage the audiences to

At the same time, this reaction, this experience of facing a young and enthu-

come. It may sound a bit strange, but secondary schools do not usually go to

siastic audience encouraged the artists to go on researching in this new area.

theatre, nor do adolescents go to the theatre by themselves. When we decid-

The interaction between the artists (including some special guests from Brazil,

ed to organize the Schoolyard Stories, it was our goal to change this situation

Paraguay and Chile) was a remarkable feature of the Festival and also stimulated us to organize a new project.

Schoolyard Stories Festival – Buenos Aires, October 2011

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AtInA – Schoolyard Stories in Iberoamerica

Conclusion Schoolyard Stories project in Iberoamerica confirmed the need for a good theatre specially aimed at adolescents, a theatre which can represent their interests, a theatre with which they can identify and reflect upon. This has only been a small experience, perhaps lost in the big Latin America, but it deserves to expand and continue in order to reach more and more artists and audiences.

The cultural and economic situation of our countries makes conducting this kind of project very difficult, without a doubt. All the participating artists, companies and organizers worked on the project without any payment and, in some cases had to cover some costs by themselves. Of course this is not the ideal situation for creative work, even though we know that the enthusiasm, passion and good will in these countries often replaces the lack of money. We especially want to thank Platform 11+ for the support of our project in Latin America, opening its structures to make it possible for us to participate and by supporting some projects financially. We have shared many hours, many words, many thoughts, many expectations and many results. We all have learned from each other and especially from the youngsters.

This last phase of the project has been the beginning of a new phase which

the program included:

should create a new theatre for adolescents in all our countries.

María Inés Falconi

‘Dos puntos paréntesis’ based on the play ‘Patio regresivo’ by Luz Rodríguez Urquiza, presented by the company Vuelve en Julio (AR) ‘Eva, la madre que te matriculó’ by Irma Borges y Oscar Escribano (ES) and

Both pages: Schoolyard Stories Festival Buenos Aires, October 2011

presented by the company Grupo de Teatro Buenos Aires (AR) ‘Inmolación’ by Enrique Olmos de Ita, directed by Alberto Lomnitz (MX) ‘WC School’, based on the plays ‘Nuevas Transacciones Comerciales’, de Car-

114

los de Urquiza, ‘El Che Guevara’ de Gabriel Fernandez Chapo y ‘Quedate Aca’

‘Patio regresivo’, written and directed by Luz Rodríguez Urquiza

de Luz Rodriguez U ­ rquiza, co-production between the Universidad Popular

‘Martín’ based on the play ‘No quiero ser el Che Guevara’ by Gabriel Fernán-

de Belgrano (Bueno Aires) and the Pilot Theatre (York, UK) ‘Amores imposibles’ by Silvia Labrador, presented by the company Los oberiú (AR) ‘Yo quiero ser Laura Ingalls’ writen and directed by Daniel Perisse

dez Chapo, presented by the company La Factoría (CL) ‘¿Qué cosa me perdí?’ based on the plays ‘Marimacho’ by Rodrigo Ures and ‘Momento Embarazoso’ by Evelyn Goldfinger presented by the company La llave.

‘El Nuevo’ by María Inés Falconi (AR) presented by Teatro El Galpón (UY)

115

116

El viaje de ‘Martín’ (The Voyage of ‘Martín’)

T

he idea for ‘Martín’ came up in the meeting of directors organized by ATINA, in Buenos Aires.

sharing with companies from Mexico, Urugay and Argentina, and were thank-

It is based on the text of Gabriel Fernández Chapo ‘Yo no quiero ser el

ful for to get the constant support of the organisational team which took

Che Guevara’ (I don’t wanna be Che Guevara) in which the theme of bullying

great care of us right up till the last detail of our stay in Buenos Aires and we

in schools is examined.

were also grateful for the presence of an lively/active young audience which assisted the presentations. We had intense discussions With them after the

Marcos Belmar, director of La Factoría Teatro, proposed that the Platform

plays and we had the feeling that we put on a vivid piece of theatre which had

11+ project should finance the final stage of putting together the play which

a deep echo in the audience that saw it.

came to be called ‘Martín’. After this, in June 2011, the play travelled to Dresden, in Germany, where it was presented in the Third Annual Encounter

We are really grateful to Atina and

Platform 11+, Artistic Discoveries in European Schoolyards. In addition to the

Platform 11+ for sponsoring this

Direction

Marcos Belmar

presentations of the play, La Factoria gave an intensive four day workshop for

dream of three actors, of helping it

Cast

Paulina Flores,

young pupils, sharing the tools of the theatre of gesture which is central to La

to become a reality, a performance

Factoria’s theatrical style.

in an empty space, the sounds be-

Until now, the last international tour with ‘Martín’ was the III Festival

ing created by the actors with their

Internacional ATINA 2011 where the company surely closed a circle which

own voices and their bodies being

began with the meeting of the directors in 2009. We benefitted greatly from Martin Pozo, Marcos Belmar, Paulina Flores

La Factoria teatro santiago de Chile

La Factoria teatro Santiago de Chile

Matías Pozo, Marcos Belmar Tech. assistant

Sebastián León

used to depict each scene and each

Premiere in Santiago de Chile:

character which was involved in the

26 May 2011, Centro Cultural of San

making of ‘Martín’.

Joaquín

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sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

SEX EDUCATION (My story from the schoolyard from the middle of the 1960s.)

We didn’t have a courtyard in my school. There was only a railed, yellow bricked square on the first floor, but they never let us out there. Even school celebrations were held in the gym. In between classes we walked around the long corridors in pairs, our hands behind out backs.

I left the school at the age of 12 as the result of a sex education class. On the big day our class master, a lady, separated the boys from the girls. With us, boys, she chose a form of talking that was out of the ordinary. She left the platform with her desk and sat down on top of the first school desk. Her shiny pantyhose attracted the spell-bound gazes. And everything else differed from the usual order. She talked about her husband who had uncovered the capitalists working at a foreign representation institution in Western Europe. On an official reception at an embassy, there was an interruption of electricity. Suddenly the lights came back on and they could see the greedy capitalists were reaching into a dish under the cover of the dark, to grab the last piece of Vienna sausage left. What a shame! What kind of people are they?! What would have I done if I had been there? A tough question. We only had Vienna sausage on red-letter days or as a treat for standing the pain when they needled my ear. There was not much time for thinking, because Miss Piri grabbed her breasts with a suddent twist of events and declared that despite equality, there are some differences between boys and girls. For example, breasts are of primary importance in child bearing, that is why women have bigger breast than boys.

Janos Novak Artistic Director Kolibri Theatre, Hungary

118

The new information was still ringing in my ear while we marched down to the gym. That day the girls went to their locker room with peculiar, blushful excitement, giggling. They turned their heads away knowingly and whispered. Ági Tömör is not going to do any exercises today. Why? There’s obviously nothing the matter with her and she still doesn’t change into gym clothes? The boys started whispering as well. I was the one who found the solution first: she is going to have a baby! Within five minutes Ági was bellowing, the girls ran to the class master

The whole situation came in handy as that year, in sixth grade, I got a place in the Music Conservatory’s cello department as a special talent. The music lessons in the Conservatory took place in the afternoon but in my old school teaching was alternating, one week in the morning, one week in the afternoon. From my new school I could leave from the afternoon classes so this question was solved. Thanks to my old school I could cross the threshold of my new school, the Conservatory and real adolescence with the knowledge from my sex education class.

There’s a photo of me that was taken that year. I am playing the cello at a ceremony. I am accompanied by the Chamber Music Orchestra of the Hospital supported by Hungarian Rails which was founded by my father. My father by that time was already a head physician of audiology and a well–known amateur cellist. He wanted me to become a cellist because he wanted me to be happy.

I was sent to a secondary science school, because it is a tradition in my family – all my three uncles and of course my mum went there. Although I already knew in the first years that I wanted to become an artist. As a proof of my willpower, I finished at this school. My school is old and famous, it has numerous traditions which students and teachers are proud of. And good teachers are the greatly valued by this school.

The first thing that I remember looking back over my years in school, is my physics teacher, who used to play the piano in the school hall before lessons.

So every morning when we arrived at school we were welcomed by beautiful music.

As I’m not the strongest in maths I used to spend my afternoons going over my physics and maths tests which I had failed. So, one afternoon as I was sitting with my physics teacher, I drew a diagram and all of the sudden he said: you will definitely become an artist.

In the photo I’m standing there, five years old, and don’t know yet how hard it is to grow up.

School was difficult, but it encouraged me to see that people should be interested in different parts of life, not just the one they have chosen as their pro- Pille Kose fession.

Stage and Costume Designer, Estonia

sCHooLYARD MEMoRIEs

and she ordered me to see the headmaster right away. What the headmaster told me after an hour’s wait I can’t recall, but the minutes before my ‘execution’ I can count till this very day. In the hall in front of the office, standing next to a big palm tree in a flower pot my sniveling evolved into crying than back to whimpering. Later, with my strength fading the crying became stronger and stronger. I was asked to come inside. The headmaster handed me a note written by my class master, destined to my parents, then, having seen the state I was in, send me home with a few scolding words. At home I asked my parents to never send me back there. My father read the note chuckling and old me to calm down, they would look for a new school for me. My mother agreed, which was unusual, and the next week I was going to the school where she was teaching physics and math.

119

PLATFORM 11+ Authors’ Work – Playwriting Competition

PLATFORM 11+ Authors’ Work Playwriting Competition

E

ver since Platform 11+ began with its networking project, one of its

All of the authors have written short texts for the Final PLATFORM 11+ Pro-

main aims has been to inspire professional authors to write new plays

duction ‘Face Me’. The premiere of this play will be in Pilsen, in the Czech

for young audiences.

The press statement put it like this: „After four years of work, PLATFORM 11+ wants to present a many-lay-

Republic during the 4th Annual Encounter. The authors widely varying texts are all based on the theme of the difficult transition from childhood to adulthood. Twenty resulting scenes were the basis for the rehearsals that were led by the 6 directors.

ered (self-) portrait of a young European generation, whose presence at the beginning of the 21st century is reflected in more than 30 new plays“.

But that’s not all: A European-wide Playwright’s Contest has been announced

Now, almost three years later, we can be proud of the fact that we’ve man-

to contribute current texts. These texts will be judged by a professional jury

in the theatres. Authors from the participating countries have been called on aged to have done justice to our ambitious aim: Authors from 12 European

and the winner will receive an award. The theatres have approached the goal

countries and from South America have been continuously involved in this

of this project in a variety of ways:

project. New plays have come out of the project, plays written on the basis of Schoolyard Research and at present through the process of co-writing. The majority of these plays have been premiered as national productions or as

Pilot Theatre, York/UK

co-productions. An Anthology, featuring all of the new plays, was published in 2011. The title was ‘New Theatre Plays from Europe and South America

Pilot Theatre launched their playwriting competition ‘Generation Z’ in sum-

for young people aged 11–15’.

mer 2011. Promoted nationally and regionally through both traditional and digital media, it invited submissions from writers of all ages, professionals and non-professionals, for proposals for new theatre work aimed at our target au-

120

ported unanimously by the judging panel. Jessica is a playwright with a developing career who won the prestigious Nick Darke Award for another script in 2012. Her winning proposal ‘Ghost Town’ is inspired by the UK inner city summer riots of 2011 and will begin a research and development process in Spring 2012 with Pilot Associate Director, Katie Posner.

The judging panel was so impressed by a number of other proposals that they decided to award a special Highly Commended status to five other ideas.

These writers – David Napthine, Henry Raby, David Lane, Imogen Joyce and Charlie Covell – were offered the opportunity to work with Katie Posner and Pilot Associate Artists Richard Hurford and Tom Bellerby to explore possibiliGeneration ZED at Pilot Theatre (Richard Hurford, Associated Playwright)

ties for further collaboration with Pilot Theatre. This is an on-going process and means that through the ‘Generation Z’ competition Pilot has been able

dience. All genres and styles were welcomed, though writers were encour-

to develop creative relationships with six playwrights and discover a wealth

aged to research Pilot’s areas of special interest in terms of work produced,

of new theatrical material, ideas and possibilities for the future.

such as multi-media and hyper-media, and develop ideas they felt would fit well with the company’s creative profile and future plans.

Richard Hurford, associated playwright Pilot theatre

Proposals were requested rather than finished scripts, as Pilot was keen to work with the winning writer from an early stage and develop the project

kolibri theatre, Budapest/Hungary

collaboratively.

PLAtFoRM 11+ Authors’ Work – Playwriting Competition

idea rather than on established reputations or existing creative relationships.

Jessica Fisher was announced as the winner in January 2012, a result sup-

Up until a few years ago, there hadn’t been any new Hungarian plays that Over fifty entries were received, which were then read blind by the judging

dealt sensitively with the problems of young teenagers. The drama competi-

panel to ensure that writers would be considered wholly on the basis of their

121

tion proves that Hungarian playwrights have now come to enrich this genre,

sisting of professional playwrights and theatre makers. Five of the best plays

popular throughout Europe, with more exciting plays.

will be published in 2013 in a book ‘Drama 11+’.

From all plays that were submitted into the competition, the jury (Péter Horváth, Ákos Németh and István Tasnádi) selected three plays for the main

oulu City theatre, oulu/Finland

prizes and one that received a special mention.

A national contest for a new play was organized, and 16 plays were submitted The awarded plays were: ‘Delete’ by Katalin Győri, ‘Csöngő’ by Márton Kiss,

on time for the deadline which was on 31st December 2011. The professional

‘Veritas Duplex’ by Sára Oláh-Horváth. All three plays contain qualities that

jury consisted of Oulu City Theatre Artistic Director Mikko Kouki, Platform 11+

make them suitable for theatrical presentation. Our decision was to divide

Project Manager Sari Tanner and Director Heta Haanperä.

the 4000 € prize money equally between the three writers. Kolibri Theatre provides an opportunity for them to receive consultation from the members of the jury. Péter Horváth will work with ‘Csöngő’, Ákos Németh with ‘Veritas Duplex’ and István Tasnádi will provide further feedback on ‘Delete’.

The special compliment was given to Pali és Lea by Beáta Adorján.

theatre Institute, Bratislava/slovakia Theatre Institute will announce the winner of the playwriting competition on 1 June 2012 – on the occasion of the International Childrens’ Day. The name of the competition is ‘DRAMA 11+’. This refers to the national playwrights’ competition for original theatre plays in both the Slovak and Czech language.

Known as ‘DRAMA’, this competition has been conducted annually by the Theatre Institute for the last 11 years. The texts will be judged by a jury con-

122

Winner of Oulu City Theatre Playwright Competition, Heikki Itänen

written by Heikki Itänen (born 1957). The play depicts a humorous and recognizable dialogue between parents and their 14 year old son, stemming from the generation conflict and difference of perceptions. Such an ordinary situation, well known in many homes today, is presented in a refreshing way, it gives voice to a young person as an equal, thinking individual. ‘Itänen’ is a Finnish script and the playwright who comes from Ruovesi, has written many TV and radio programmes and series over the past twenty years.

‘Liian vanha ja liian nuori’ will premiere at Oulu City Theatre during the 2012–13 season as part of the professional repertoire. The touring production, directed by Heta Haanperä, will be done in the style of forum theatre.

Marco Renzi, Winner of the Playwright Competition at Teatro Elsinor

Elsinor teatro stabile d’Innovazione, Milan/Italy The playwright competition was announced in September 2011, the deadline

Brageteatret, Drammen/norway

being the 31st January 2012. Ten texts were submitted, quite a large amount of plays for a country in which theatre productions are often developed in improvisation processes.

Brageteatret is cooperating with Dramatikkens HUS (House of Drama) and DUS (Scene for Young People), to produce theatre scripts written for youth.

Seven professional playwrights are engaged in the project, and young peo-

The winner, announced on 10th May, during the festival ‘Segnali’, was Marco

ple with writing ambitions are also invited to participate in an open writing

Renzi with ‘È arrivato un barcone carico di europei’. This play will be pro-

competition. They will get professional support during the process, a team of

duced at Teatro Elsinor in the next season and will become a part of the thea-

advisers will cooperate with the author of the best script in order to obtain

tre repertoire.

the utmost quality before producing the play. A jury will chose 3 prizewinners.

PLAtFoRM 11+ Authors’ Work – Playwriting Competition

The winning play ‘Liian vanha ja liian nuori’ (‘Too Old and Too Young’) was

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PLATFORM 11+ Authors’ Work – Playwriting Competition

All the scripts will be ready in May 2012. Then they will be offered to several

sion was unanimous: Shireen Mula, a quirky, witty writer with a passion for

groups. The young people will both act and produce the scripts themselves.

outdoor events.

One of the theatre scripts will be chosen for a workshop, the aim is to use the script for a professional production at Brageteatret.

show and a hilarious interaction with local sun worshippers. Inspired, we

Teatro OBando, Palmela/Portugal

raised further funds to create ‘PENt Up’ – a mentor-led writing project for young people. We were incredibly proud to receive a Clore Duffield Award

A theatre work with/for young audience has been a much discussed subject

for the project and are scheduled to launch a new writing publication in June

since the late 1970s among Portuguese companies and cultural institutions.

2012. Meanwhile Shireen is sketching out ideas for a new script based on

Founded in 1974, O Bando found its roots in community work – direct in-

ideas generated by young people through the ‘PENt Up’ project.

volvement in schools and in cultural associations. As a result of this historical debate and because our country already has some competitions that award playwrights, O Bando’s artistic direction decided to invite some artists to reflect about creating for this very specific audience. This work will result in a coproduction to be announced next October and premiered next November.

Emergency Exit Arts, London/UK Emergency Exit Arts rarely has the opportunity to work with playwrights so it was great for us to search for new blood from a new creative angle. We wanted young aspiring writers so restricted the age limit to 30 and advertised through youth oriented channels. 48 applicants, each with example texts led to an entertaining elimination process with 5 being interviewed. Our deci-

124

We chose the London premiere of ‘Beginning’ to announce the award: Shireen worked with a group of teenagers to help create a prelude to the

The jury writes:

VAT Theatre commissions three youth plays to be written. We have asked

“‘Victoria Station’ manages

three Estonian writers, all belonging to different generations, to write a youth

to summon up an exciting and sur-

play, the best of which will be staged in VAT Theatre. All of these three writers

prising change of perspective: All

are established in their field, but they have never addressed young people

themes of puberty are examined,

using drama as a medium. Through these commissions, we give them such

the emotional confusion and the

an opportunity and simultaneously we draw attention to the importance of

inner and outer chaos seem to have

youth theatre in our society. The commissions will be announced before the

more to do with the environment

end of this season in order to have the plays ready by autumn. One of these

rather than the young protagonist: parents, siblings, friends… All seem to be

plays will be premiered in spring 2013.

equally involved with problems and only concerned with themselves.”

theater de Citadel, Groningen, the netherlands

al reality of life without clichés. In an impressive and funny way it relates how

Michael Müller’s play ‘Junge Junge’ (‘Boy Boy’) unfolds a piece of multiculturTheater de Citadel and the writing and performance department of the HKU

friendship helps two boys to distance themselves from common stereotypes

(Hogeschool vor de Kunsten), are discussing the possibility of working to-

and to take a position in everyday life and fundamental things.

gether to organize the writers’ contest in Autumn 2012.

Top: Winner of the Playwright Competition

tjg. theater junge generation, Dresden/Germany

at tjg.Theater Junge Generation Dresden,

theater junge generation and PLATFORM 11+ have searched together, in a

Lilly Axster

joint competition, for plays aimed at an 11–15 year old audience, which deal with the reality of adolescent life. From a total of 52 submissions, a jury (in-

Bottom: Winner of the Playwright Com-

cluding the artistic director Felicitas Loewe) has chosen two winners. So the

petition at tjg.Theater Junge Generation

prize of 4000 Euros for the winning play will be between: Michael Mülller from

Dresden, Michael Müller

PLAtFoRM 11+ Authors’ Work – Playwriting Competition

vAt theatre, tallinn/Estonia

Hamburg with his play ‘Junge Junge’ (‘Boy Boy’, Theaterstückverlag) and Lilly Axster from Vienna with her play ‘Victoria Station’ (Verlag der Autoren).

125

York, April 2012

through our Eyes

T

his year’s Youth Exchange was hosted by Pilot Theatre, with support from our host venue York Theatre Royal, in the city of York, England from 14–22 April, 2012. Young people, aged from 13–23, came from

Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Estonia to join the British group

Youth Encounter – York, April 2012

Youth Encounter

in a jam-packed 9 days of activity. You can see highlights of the week and the performance on www.platform11plus.eu or www.pilot-theatre.tv This project is a Youth in Europe Event, funded with support from the European Union and British Council as well as Platform 11+ .

the Workshops The week consisted of participatory workshops from 10 in the morning till 9 in Opposite: Performance at St. Olaves Church, York (UK)

the evening – workshops run by directors, writers, photographers, visual artists, actors, choreographers and musicians – all exploring how the group saw and responded to their towns and cities, to their friends, to their lives. They

127

Youth Encounter – York, April 2012

asked what connects us and our thoughts and feelings and what makes us different – in other words what is the world like ‘Through Our Eyes’.

Highlights included the photography installation workshop working with the photographs the students had brought from home, a Treasure Hunt ‘York Zoo’, an impromptu inside picnic in a transformed ballroom as the heavens opened outside – ‘raining cats and dogs’, lots of singing, a Céilidh, the playing of Estonian instruments and the ever popular pony game. In addition there was a myriad of social and cultural events, including the sharing of games, songs and food

“I had a great time. I liked the whole week and I was happy that

(some very hot!) at the cultural

I could improve my English. The

fayre, which meant we were all able

performance was my absolutely

to get to know each other and our

favourite. And I really liked act-

countries much better!

ing on stage.” (Krisztina/HU)

the Performance As the English weather was throwing everything at us we retreated inside the safe walls of St Olave’s Church for a site-specific performance, whereupon the sun promptly came out for the duration and illuminated the performers through the magnificent windows – built-in lighting design! The performance, explored society and culture from the point of view of a young person,

Writing Workshop

128

Youth Encounter – York, April 2012

their hopes, dreams and beliefs and was devised and developed from their work in the workshops during the week. Set amongst the structures of the church people appeared from behind pillars, rose up from pews and behind lecterns, ran down the aisles, danced down the aisles, filled the space with their voices, their words, their energy.

Mandy Smith (Pilot)

through our Eyes “Sometimes it’s hard to understand.

Like a foreign language.

The words just noise, no sense, nonsense.

You think?

I think

the Exhibition

We all think Too much sometimes.

In what was an exhilarating week, time was somehow found to create a

Crença – tro – geloof – hit – usk – belief

fabulous exhibition in the foyer of the theatre. During the Youth Encounter,

Forget about the words.

the space was converted into an interactive gallery, full of images which had

We all speak the same language.

inspired all the groups in the lead up to the event. The walls were covered

Feel it, know it, hope it and you understand.

with the images taken by the group but the viewer was then able to con-

Trust me.

tinue the image by drawing in the space surrounding the photo, creating a

Trust her.

further story.

Trust him.

Trust us.

Crença – tro – geloof – hit – usk – belief”

Workshop Visual Arts

129

Youth Encounter – York, April 2012

Pilot Live

“I think the week was brilliant because I have a lot of new friends.

Throughout the week of the Youth

It’s a very good memory for me.

Exchange, families and friends

I never forget the Platform 11.”

could keep in touch with the ac-

(Bence/HU)

tivities of those taking part in the project by tuning in to Pilot Live. Pilot Live was hosted on both Pilot Theatre and Platform 11+’s websites and live streamed up to half an hour’s content a day, including videos containing highlights from the day’s activities and interviews with group members on their experiences so far and allowed people from across the world to send questions to be answered live on the show. Pilot Live was a popular addition to the week’s work and by the end of the project was receiving nearly 300 viewers from over ten different countries. It allowed international boundaries to be crossed in an instant and facilitated So many people commented that it is the most exciting project they have seen exhibited in the space, that is was interesting to see the project grow

constant reflection and evaluation of the project from within the group.

Tom Bellerby (Pilot)

over the course of the week and that the interactive side of it felt welcoming and made them want to come back to see it completed.

the Writing Workshop So a huge thank you to students and teachers alike for creating such an inspiring exhibition that visitors could enjoy who may not have known about the

I ran two workshops exploring words, belief and different ways to understand

project otherwise.

each other when we don’t share a language. The young people, supported

Sarah Rorke (Pilot)

by wonderfully enthusiastic teachers from Hungary and Portugal, responded excellently and worked together with openness, sensitivity and a great deal of fun. Both were large groups from all six countries, but just two days into the

Performance at St. Olave’s Church

130

project it was already clear how much they were enjoying working together

“I think this camp was fantastic

time with them both a pleasure and

and I found lot of good friends.

creatively productive.

I like the BELIEVE song and

We explored the stories be-

I liked acting on stage. My

hind our names, what we believed

favourite time was when we

in individually and as a group, the

spoke about interesting things

sounds of our different languages

every night. We had a great time

and what impressions we could

together.” (Krisztián/HU)

gain of each other simply by listening even if we couldn’t understand every word. Returning three days later to see the performance they had created, I was delighted to see elements of the ideas we had explored intertwined with the music, movement and performance sequences they had produced with the project leaders. They had clearly taken creative responsibility themselves and integrated it all into the

Youth Encounter – York, April 2012

and this helped make my short

final sharing.

Richard Hurford (Writer)

A Director The Platform 11+ week is an amazing opportunity for young people from all over Europe with various interests, skills and experience, to share an intensive theatre experience for a week and create a piece together. I have been involved for the last 2 projects in Estonia and the UK, and can vouch for its Performance at St. Olave’s Church

131

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Youth Encounter – York, April 2012

their career plans specifically because of this project, as well as making life-

“We had a very good time. It was absolutely amazing, how we could work together. The performance was beautiful. I was very happy that

long friends. It gives young people a passion for learning about and exploring

I could use my English. I will never forget the week and the people.”

other cultures as well as new genres of theatre.

(Daniel/HU)

Kate Plumb (York Youth Theatre Director)

the Groups Estonia – Vanalinna Haridus-koleegium & VAT Teater Forumgrupp Group leader: Gertha Teidla Hungary – Budenz Jószef Alapítványi Gimnázium Teachers: Ágnes Kecskés & Ágnes Pápa Netherlands – Zernike College Teachers: Rosanne Bakker & Pete Silverstein Norway – Galterud Skole Teachers: Linda Pettersen & Yngve Erlandsen Portugal – Escola Básica José Saramago Teachers: Darlene do Rosário & Ana Nogueira United Kingdom – Manor CE School and York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre Group Leaders: Shona Cowie & Lou Sophocleous

Project Leaders Directors: Kate Plumb, Tom Bellerby and Lotte Lohrengel Musical Director: Ivan Stott Workshop Leaders:

Youth Encounter – York, April 2012

ability to change lives. Many of the young people involved have changed

Becky Warnock, Michael Lambourne, Kyle Davies, Richard Hurford Documentary Team: Anne-Kristin Jahn and Mark Beasley For Platform 11+: Sven Laude and Johanna Malchow For Pilot Theatre: Mandy Smith, Sarah Rorke, Katie Posner, Marcus Romer Thanks to York Theatre Royal for Space, Support and Catering

Performance at St. Olave’s Church

133

York/united kingdom 2011, september 22/23

The artistic directors of all the partner theatres met in order to discuss the concept and organization of

The British Pilot Theatre was the host of the Advisory Board Meeting, held on

the Final Production as well as to

a sunny weekend in early autumn 2011. The Pilot Theatre was formed in 1981.

talk about new innovations for the

Its base is the York Theatre Royal, with whom it shares resources.

project and to gather ideas for the continuation of the project.

Pilot recently, moved from a converted backstage dressing room to a new space in the historic building next door – De Grey House. The current Artistic

The delegates had a lot of vigorous

Director, Marcus Romer was appointed in 1994, and from this time on, the

discussions but they also had the

company has focused on developing a national touring circuit, creating excit-

chance to see two plays. There was

ing and innovative work for young people.

Advisory Board Meetings & Play Fairs

Advisory Board Meetings & Play Fairs

a huge applause for the premiere of Alan Bennett’s play ‘Forty Years

The ancient theatre building, situated in the middle of the historic city centre, was the ideal place for the lively discussions of the European colleagues.

On’ which was directed by the Artistic Director of the Theatre Royal, Demian Cruden. The Tutti Frutti Company performed ‘The Hare and Tortoise’ by Brendan Murray for young children.

Opposite: Damian Cruden, Artistic Diector of Theatre Royal, York, shows the theatre building to his European colleguages

The climax of the meeting was the ‘Play Fair’, a staged reading of new texts

This page: Excursion to the ancient centre of York

common final production.

from Platform 11+ authors which had grown out of the preparation for the

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front_opice.pdf 16. 12. 2011 12:45:33

written by Liv Heløe (Norway), Bouke Oldenhof (Netherlands) und Richard Hurford (UK).

Bratislava/slovakia 2012, February 3–5

It was freezing cold when the theatre managers and the seven artistic direcC

tors of the Final Production met in the Slovakian capital. The host Theatre

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Institute, having excellent contacts in the city, hired rooms for the meeting

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in the College of the Arts. Both the programme for the Annual Encounter in

CM

MY

Pilsen and the working process were discussed during the three day meeting.

CY

The title for the Annual encounter ‘FACE ME’ ensued out of a lively debate

CMY

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Advisory Board Meetings & Play Fairs

Katie Posner, Associate Director at Pilot Theatre, had prepared the young actors for first reading of the scenes in front of a live audience. The scenes were

amongst the delegates.

Although the Theatre Institute doesn’t have its own ensemble or theatre space, it is very committed to the realization of the goals of the project.

The performance of ‘Three–Four Monkeys’ gave the participants the chance to see a Platform 11+ production. This play was directed by Zuzana Hude-

TRI-ŠTYRI OPICE

Opposite: Three – Four Monkeys, directed by Zuzanan Hudekova

Zuzana Hudeková

This page: Poster Three – Four Monkeys

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Advisory Board Meetings & Play Fairs

kowá, who had participated as a Visual Artist in the Plein Air in Portugal last year. This was the first time she had directed a play. The play, with its minimal text and its emphasis on sound and images, is an important contribution to the central issue of how language can or should be used in the context of the European theatre project.

Milan/Italy

2012, May 10–13

Advisory Board Meeting ‘Play Fair’ The theatres’ artistic directors met with the directors and set designers before the rehearsals began at the end of May for the big Final Production near Pilsen.

The Italian partner Elsinor Teatro Stabile d’Innovazione in Milan was the host of this meeting.

Elsinor Theatre has been co-organizing the Segnali Festival for X years. This year was the 28th time that the festival has taken place. Because the subsidy had been completely cut, the program was reduced from the usual three days to two days. All of the groups performed for nothing. The humorous and poetic production ‘Secondo Pinocchio’, with its simple staging, performed by Compagnia BURAMBO, proved that thriftiness doesn’t necessarily lead to a loss of quality. The convincing narrative style of the well known story was honoured with Eolo 2012, the national Italian Theatre prize for children’s theatre plays.

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novel written by Emilio Salgari. This play, with its combination of emotional drama and theatrical scenic impact met the needs of the young audience exactly.

The presentation of the already tried and tested festival Platform 11+ co-production ‘HELP!’ von Aare Tooika (EE)/Peter Horvath (HU) gave the audiences the chance to convince themselves of the artistic quality of the European Project. Once again the production was thoroughly convincing, with its unusual use of language, the successful mixture of humour and dramatic highpoints, and last but not least, because of the achievement of the two excellent actors.

Two other events in the scope of the Festival proved the involvement of the host theatre in an extremely active European Network: The winner of the Ital-

The Platform 11+ partners, however, had come together to talk, to plan and to

ian Playwright’s contest was announced on the same night as the awarding

think ahead. Thus many hours were spent in intense discussions about the re-

of the Eolos, the National Theatre prize. The winner was Marco Renzi. His play

hearsals and touring of the Final Production, about the next Youth Encounter

‘È arrivato un barcone carico di europei’ will be produced at Teatro Elsinor

Advisory Board Meetings & Play Fairs

Naturally enough, the host theatre Elsinor also had a production in the program. Their play ‘Il Cosaro Nero’ was adapted from the well known Italian

in Groningen (NL) in autumn and about the future of Platform 11+.

next season and will become a part of the theatre repertoire.

‘Play Fair’ was proof of the fact that authorship is one of the key aspects of Platform 11+. In ‘Staged Readings’, further texts from the Italian authors’

Opposite: Poster Festival SEGNALI

competition and the Final production were presented. Parts of the texts were read by the members of the Advisory Board in English.

This page: Play Fair at Teatro Elsinor

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stepping Exhibition

stepping Exhibition

T

he Stepping Exhibition was also a true companion in Platform’s third year, 2012. As in years gone by, pupils of the partner schools could actively participate in the project. In order to inspire their own crea-

The pupils from Drammen made an enriching contribution to the ‘Before the

tivity, they received small art works from other European pupils. In turn, they

Bell’ production with their glass artwork. The handing over of the Norwegian

then sent the objects they had made on a journey as well. ‘Step by Step’,

‘Steps’ was a special moment of the opening day of the major Platform 11+

a special exhibition, involving pupils from 12 European countries, was thus

Festival in Dresden. It was the highlight of a local press conference. Pupils,

put together

teachers and especially the school director were thrilled and guaranteed that the artwork would be given a special place in the Buergerwiese School.

As a reminder: Terje Hartviksen, Bragteatret’s artistic director, received in Oulu a puzzle from Tallinn which he then passed on to his Norwegian partner

In 2011 only one more Step remained to be taken. It was then up to the Dres-

school. The pupils in Drammen had time up until June to deal with the theme.

den pupils to send their work of art on a journey. Felicitas Loewe, from tjg,

The pieces of the puzzle were possibly an inspiration, because the hosts of

brought films and short radio plays to York in Great Britain for the Advisory

the third Annual Encounter in Dresden received a collection of hand-made

Board Meeting. To what extent the creativity of the English pupils will be un-

glass fragments. Each fragment was unique, made by the pupils themselves.

leashed remains to be seen. Their Step will travel to Pilsen in June 2012. It will then move on to Groningen, after which all the artworks will be gathered together and made fit for the journey to Drammen for the Final Steps in

Handover of exhibition from Dresden: Felicitas Loewe, Artistic

Bragteatret in 2013.

Director tjg. and Mandy Smith, Producer Pilot Theatre

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Theatre and the Adolescent Audience Member

Theatre and the Adolescent Audience Member Gunnar Horn, University of Agder

S

ince the work involved with Platform 11+ is directed towards young

heightened sense of egocentricity and fantasies about other people’s positive

the characteristics of this particular group:

and negative reactions to them.

Do adolescents share any general characteristics despite their cultural and social divisions?

Young people also have a tendency to experience more negative feelings during encounters with parents and authority figures than what we find

Are adolescents all over Europe fundamentally different from one another?

in younger children and adults. Since their brains are developing, 12-year-olds

Are there common symbolic, thematic and aesthetic characteristics?

often think more concretely than abstractly, but will in time learn to think be-

How large a role is played by cultural features?

yond concrete things or situations, for example thinking hypothetically, being

What kind of influence do social factors have?

critical, asking questions and reflecting upon possible alternatives. Might this

How will this be expressed in the theater performances in Platform 11+

indicate that theatre for eleven year olds must have a fundamentally different

and in working with these young people?

content and format from that which is offered to 13- and 14-year-olds?

The relationship between the biological and cultural impact is com-

The feelings that teenagers and adolescents have about the world around

plicated. Most researchers say that there is a connection between the start of

them vary a lot – from total likes to total dislikes. Due to their quite contrary

puberty and mental development. Adolescents, especially girls, who develop

nature, we can perhaps say that the contradictory individual is more domi-

late have a poorer self-image in several areas. Adolescents who develop quite

nant during adolescence than at any other point in life.

early behave in a much more norm-breaking and experimental way than those

We have learned from the field of neurology that the brain is still de-

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Another feature of the psychological uniqueness of adolescence is a new and

people in the 11–16 year old age group, it may be useful to examine

who follow a more normal developmental pattern, they also have more emo-

veloping during adolescence. What changes and develops may be the ability

tional problems. However, cultural factors obviously play a role in this regard.

to understand the consequences of one’s action and the ability to defer per-

Moreover, biology creates many problems for young people during puberty,

sonal needs and make long-term plans. The fact that the brain is still devel-

and teenagers in the same age group often find themselves in quite different

oping offers some explanation for the impulsive and experimental behavior

stages of development. The physical and mental development from childhood

typical of many teenagers.

to adulthood will be a theme explored by the young people’s theatre, offering

The ability to see new opportunities and think critically also means that

Creating their own identity means finding a way to discover an inde-

it is easy to become too self-critical.

pendent, meaningful place in adult society. Young people can therefore no

Many young people also become

longer depend on their parents but must make their own choices. During this

more introverted for a period of time.

process they must establish a safe and realistic self-image.

Modern society, based as it is on valuing knowledge and education,

Recent educational research shows that a great deal of education is not

allows on the one hand greater possibilities for making choices; on the other

adapted to children and adolescents’

hand, the competition to achieve success has increased. Social mobility and

developmental levels and therefore

multicultural societies have become the norm. Young people may lack aware-

is not really effective. Does this also

ness regarding what they want to make of their lives. Identity creation means

apply to theatrical work? Should we

that one has to break free from one’s family. During this process some ado-

develop better knowledge as a basis

lescents have a need to display a greater distance to their parents’ values. A

for our assumptions, and do we create what is appropriate for this age group?

young person’s group of friends can have the important function of being

In my opinion we cannot learn enough about our target group. We

a social training ground. Friends’ influence can also result in the pressure to

should do research on a representative test audience in order to grasp what

conform. Theatre can strengthen adolescents’ struggle to discover their own

the audience is able to understand and the issues relevant for this group.

identity and show the way throughout this process.

Much more for a 14-year-old than for an 11-year-old, ‘truths’ and

The following basic question requires an answer: How can adolescents experience theatre?

things that ‘just are that way’ are questioned. It is the ability to think critically

The Platform performances illustrate that the various playwrights and

that makes young people at this phase in life relate to the world in a new and

theatres have differing ideas of what is needed in order to be a hit with an

more independent and critical way. They ask questions about the moral and

adolescent audience. There are also varying opinions about what young peo-

social norms and values found in their environment. This means that conflicts

ple’s theatre should communicate and in which format this ought to be done.

often arise between parental and adolescent values and viewpoints.

theatre and the Adolescent Audience Member

the possibility for a strong sense of recognition. Moreover, with regard to expression and format, the theatre should be aware of this developmental tension.

Perhaps it is at the intersection between expressed and shared experiences and these different understandings that we will find common answers – or

Gunnar Horn and Odette Bereska, Literary Manager of Platform 11+,

better ones?

moderating the Late Night Discussions at the 3rd Annual Encounter in Dresden

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Timeline Platform 11+ 144

Timeline Platform 11+ 2009

2010

2011

2012

22.–25. May Meeting Advisory Board Drammen | Norway 3.–6. June Playwright Meeting Berlin | Germany 4.–8. September 1st Annual Encounter Budapest | Hungary 9.–12. October Advanced Training Teacher Saló | Italy 18.–20. November Marketing–Meeting London | UK

24.–27. February Playwrights Meeting & Play Fair Oulu | Finland 16.–21. March Directors Workshop Buenos Aires | Argentina 26.–29. March Meeting Advisory Board & Play Fair London | UK 6.–28. June Plein Air Palmela | Portugal 23.–28. June 2nd Annual Encounter Palmela | Portugal 23.–31. October Youth Encounter: Schoolyard in Town 1 Tallinn | Estonia 29.–31. October Meeting Advisory Board | Play Fair Tallinn | Estonia

21.–27. February Meeting Advisory Board & Festival Oulu | Finland 29. Apr–2. May Advanced Training Teacher Palmela | Portugal 15.–18. May Meeting Literary Manager Bratislava | Slovakia 14.–19. June 3rd Annual Encounter Dresden | Germany 9.–11. September Meeting Advisory Board / Directors and Visual Artists York | UK 11.-15. October Festival Buenos Aires | Argentina

14.–22. April Youth Encounter: Schoolyard in Town 2 York | UK 18.–20. May Meeting Advisory Board & Play Fair Milan | Italy 1.–18. June Rehearsals Final Production Pilsen | Czech Rep. 18.–21. June 4th Annual Encounter Pilsen | Czech Rep. 23. November–2. December Youth Encounter: Schoolyard in Town 3 Groningen | The Netherlands 30. November–2. December Meeting Advisory Board & Play Fair Groningen | The Netherlands 7.–10. Mar 2013 5th Annual Encounter & Education Conference Drammen | Norway

Addresses

Addresses Divadlo Alfa Pilzeň, Czech Republic General Director: Tomáš Froyda Rokycanská 7, CZ-312 00 Pilseň www.divadloalfa.cz

Kolibri Gyermek – És Ifjúsági Színház Budapest, Hungary Artistic Director: János Novák Jókai tér 10, HU-1061 Budapest www.kolibriszinhaz.hu

Teatro O Bando Palmela, Portugal Artistic Director: João Brites Vale dos Barris, PT-2950-055 Palmela www.obando.pt

VAT Teater Tallinn, Estonia Artistic Director: Aare Toikka P.O. Box 3342, EE-10505 Tallinn www.vatteater.ee

Elsinor Teatro Stabile d’Innovazione Milan, Florence, Forlí, Italy Artistic Director: Stefano Braschi Via Boltraffico 21, IT-2059 Milan www.elsinor.net

Theatre Institute Bratislava, Slovakia Artistic Director: Vladislava Fekete Jakubovo nám 12, SK-81357 Bratislava www.theatre.sk

Theater De Citadel Groningen, The Netherlands Artistic Director: Rob Bakker Akkerstraat 97 a, NL-9717 KZ Groningen www.citadeltheater.nl

Emergency Exit Arts London, United Kingdom Artistic Director: Deb Mullins P.O. Box 570, GB-London SE10 0EE www.eea.org.uk

Oulun Kaupungin Teatteri Oulu, Finland Artistic Director: Mikko Kouki P.O. Box 5, FI-90015 Oulun Kauunki www.teatteri.ouka.fi tjg. Theater Junge Generation Dresden, Germany Artistic Director: Felicitas Loewe Meißner Landstrasse 4, D-01157 Dresden www.tjg-dresden.de

Brageteatret Drammen, Norway Artistic Director: Terje Hartviksen Grønland 60, NO-3045 ­Drammen www.brageteatret.no

Pilot Theatre Company York, United Kingdom Artistic Director: Marcus Romer c/o York Theatre Royal, St. Leonard’s Place, York Y01 7HD www.pilot-theatre.com

Associated Partners ATINA, Upebe Buenos Aires, Argentina Artistic Director: Maria Inés Falconi www.upebe.com.ar University of Agder Kristiansand, Norway Dean of Faculty of Fine Arts: Gunnar Horn P.O. Box 422, NO-4604 Kristiansand www.uia.no Theaterstückverlag Brigitte Korn-Wimmer & Franz Wimmer Mainzer Straße 5, D-80804 München www.theaterstueckverlag.de

145

Imprint Yearbook Season 2011/12

Imprint Yearbook Season 2011/12

Editorial Staff Publisher Dirk Neldner Editor Odette Bereska Layout & design Andy Newman | www.andi.nu Posters and cover artwork Ondřej Zámiš

© PLATFORM 11+

Printed by Druckhaus Köthen (Germany) | www.koethen.de Translations | English corrections Peter Scollinn

Platform 11+ – Artistic Discoveries in European Schoolyards is a European Theatre Network supported by the European C ­ ommission. The views ex-

Picture Index

pressed in this publication are only the views of the authors. The Commission

Elisa Braun (DE), Inga Vares, Siim Vahur (VAT, EE), Benjamin Krauss (University

cannot be held r­esponsible for any use which may be made of the informa-

of Agder, NO), Linda Merethe Pettersen, Kjetil Moslåtten (Brageteatret, NO),

tion contained therein.

Judit Szlovák, Dénes Molnár (Kolibri Theatre, HU), Louise Buckby for Karl Andre Photography (Pilot Theatre UK), Peter Dzurjanin (Theatre Institute, SL),

146

Contact Dirk Neldner, dirk@platform11plus.eu

João Tuna (Teatro Obando, PT), Jules Hodgson, Claire Gordon, Enrique Rovira

Head Organisation Brageteatret, Grønland 60, NO-3045 Drammen.

(EEA; UK), Klaus Gigga, Ben G. Raúl (tjg/DE), Pavel Křivánek (Alfa Theatre, CZ)

Office Kalkseestrasse 7 A – D-12587 Berlin

and the archives of the theatres

www.platform11plus.eu

Participating Theatres Divadlo Alfa Plzeň, Czech Republic VAT Teater Tallinn, Estonia Oulun Kaupungin Teatteri Oulu, Finland tjg. Theater Junge Generation Dresden, Germany Kolibri Gyermek – És Ifjúsági Színház Budapest, Hungary Elsinor Teatro Stabile d’Innovazione Milan, Florence, Forlí, Italy Theater De Citadel Groningen, The Netherlands Brageteatret Drammen, Norway Teatro O Bando Palmela, Portugal Theatre Institute Bratislava, Slovakia Emergency Exit Arts London, United Kingdom Pilot Theatre Company York, United Kingdom

Associated Partners ATINA, Upebe Buenos Aires, Argentina University of Agder Kristiansand, Norway Theaterstückverlag Munich, Germany

With the support of the CULTURE Programme 2007-2013 of the European Union

www.platform11plus.eu