LIGNA (DE/BG): Rapture and Rage: Studies on the authoritarian character

March 17 and 18, 2019 at 8 p.m., Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic

In the frame of Bazaar Festival

A multimedia performance in Czech, English or German

Up with national rebirth and down with queer decadence! Up with heroic deeds and down with lazy scum! Join the authoritarian rebellion! In many countries in Europe and overseas, political parties propagating fascist forms of government are gaining ground everywhere, or are already in power. Why is the promise of democratic societies losing its appeal? Why is authoritarian leadership being seen by many as a solution? Which of our desires is connected to fascism?

Part documentary theatre, part audio walk, part experiential performance, in Rapture and Rage German media and performance collective LIGNA, with Bulgarian artists Stephan A. Shtereff and Emilian Gatsov explore where the attraction of fascism comes from.  By allowing audience members themselves to take over the stage, the performance reenacts forgotten historical constellations, explores group movements and poses questions of agency.

About LIGNA
Recently awarded the George Tabori Prize for Independent Theatre, performance and media collective LIGNA has pioneered a collective audio walk format (AKA radioballet), setting up new situations in public and theater spaces. For years, LIGNA has analysed the mechanics and dynamics of group and mass movements in order to find out what moves, controls, and manipulates them and what in turn moves, changes, destroys or makes them accessible to experience in the first place. LIGNA has performed in the Czech context once before: in 2014 audiences took part in its performance The Secret Radio in a Prague shopping centre, become secret agents discovering how secret security agencies work.

Following the performance a moderated debate. Guest speakers: member of Parliament and historian Pavel Žáček, Czech political commentator Bohumil Pečinka and others.

By and with LIGNA (Ole Frahm, Michael Hueners, Torsten Michaelsen – concept, production, text, director), Stephan A. Shtereff (concept, director, production) and Emilian Gatsov (music)

Czech Translation: Yvona Vašíčková

photo: Jörg Baumann

Supported by: Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, Kulturamt Frankfurt am Main, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Frankfurt, Nationales Performance Netz, Robert Bosch Stiftung / Internationales Theaterinstitut as part of the “Szenenwechsel”-Programme, Goethe-institut Bulgaria, Ministry of Culture, Bulgaria
Czech version supported by: Goethe-institut Czech Republic, the Czech-German Future Fund, the Arts and Theatre Institute.

About event on Bazaar website