Theatre Week “The Bus Days& Otherwise”
Pro Helvetia Cairo have organized the Theatre Week «The Bus days and Otherwise» from January 31 to February 4, 2017.
The programme consisted of 5 theatre performances, inspired by Swiss texts and suggested by writer and dramaturge Erik Altorfer.
All performances were followed by discussions with the theatre directors and moderated by art critic Ramy Abdel Razek.
Performances:
«Until We Prove Otherwise»
«Until We Prove Otherwise» is highlighting the disappearance of facts during the evolution of lies and rumors. It presents the idea of internal conflict for individuals in resisting falsehood and fabrications broadcasted by everyone around them and the limits of their strength in facing such acts.
The performance focuses on the different hypotheses which occur in the society and the split of everyone to believe or refuse those assumptions, and how they deal with them. The Director uses multiple visual and audio techniques to symbolize the fabricated barriers that rumors create among humans.
The performance is based on the Swiss text «Proving the Contrary» by Olivier Chiacchiari
«Yellow Days»
The performance intends to reflect the current situation in the world, especially in Egypt and the Middle East, and highlights the constant clashes between authority, power, domination and exclusion through the story of the potato growers and corrupt farmers. The conflict here is not between good and evil, but rather it is a conflict of exclusion and control, and animosity against the Other, who is different. The transformation of the characters before and after the war is presented clearly, as the performance puts in front of us our emotions and our choices as humans.
The Performance is based on the Swiss text «Yellow Days» by Daniela Janjic
«Crossroads»
The performance discusses modern civilization and its contribution in deforming humans, turning them into savages’ sub-humans. The characters on the bus are in a state of confusion, misery, psychological ruin, and fear. They are looking for salvation, each in their own way; some through religious extremism, or religious pretenses, others by isolating themselves from modern society as it is leading to destruction of the world, and its complete disintegration. To clarify the different roads to salvation, the director is using two different endings for the same performance; both start from a pivotal point so the audience has a chance to choose the suitable end.
The Performance is based on the Swiss text «The Bus» by Lukas Bärfuss
«The Last Trip»
The last trip focuses on the idea of different roads for salvation, which appears in the main characters’ decisions and the way they deal with humans around them. Through their conversations a lot is revealed about their characters and their relationships to each other, from different angles, and the reasons behind each of their choices. Physical movements have been integrated into the performance.
The Performance is based on the Swiss text «The Bus» by Lukas Bärfuss
«The Accident»
The performance discusses the idea of people’s inner well-being, how it differs from one person to another, how the main characters of the performance see this well-being, and how it reflects on the way they deal with each other. The performance also focuses on the human belief of getting rid of sins and sinners as an implementation of God’s plan, and compares this belief with the concept of Crime and Punishment.
«The Accident» also highlights the psychological conflict of human beings between the ideological extremism and crimes they commit believing in the necessity of taking part in the disposal of sinners.
The Performance is based on the Swiss text “The Bus” by Lukas Bärfuss
