DIE MITTELMEER-MONOLOGE - Documentary Theater by Michael Ruf

Description

About people who take the risky route across the Mediterranean in the hope of finding safety in Europe. Supertitles in Arabic, English, and French. The Mediterranean Monologues are documentary theater. Author Michael Ruf (Word and Heartbeat) conducts interviews that last several hours, sometimes multiple days. These interviews are then simply shortened and condensed. Nothing is invented, and the linguistic expression is preserved. Verbatim, literal theater. Inspired by these interviews, Michael Ruf also wrote song lyrics, which were musically realized in collaboration with composers. Thus, 'Tons of Water' (composition: Marlène Colle), 'We fall into silence' (composition: Torsten Knoll), and 'The Memories always return' (composition: Peer Kleinschmidt) were created. Since December 2021, these songs have been a permanent part of the Mediterranean Monologues. The Mediterranean Monologues tell of people who take the risky route across the Mediterranean, hoping to live safely in Europe – about Libyan coast guards, Italian rescue stations, and German authorities who prevent this, and activists who oppose the dying on the Mediterranean. These activists, as volunteers at Alarmphone, convince coast guards to rescue people in distress or learn at Seawatch to prevent drowning – in short, they do the most natural thing, which in 2024 is anything but natural: saving human lives! It’s as if the actors directly address the audience, shake their hands, and draw them into a world that will no longer leave the viewers cold: entangled, intertwined, connected, and networked with the protagonists of the Mediterranean Monologues, the audience follows the paths of the stories with anticipation. When the actors whisper, remain silent, gently throw a word into the space, then sometimes become louder, demandingly or angrily raise their voices, even almost scream, the sounds do not reach the audience abstractly; they are felt directly and physically by the viewers. When the actress looks at the audience, they are involved in the action, which they know and believe actually took place. Afterwards, there are audience discussions with activists.

Highlights

• Documentary theater by Michael Ruf
• Supertitles in Arabic, English, and French
• Musical realization with compositions by Marlène Colle, Torsten Knoll, and Peer Kleinschmidt

General Information

The Mediterranean Monologues address the dangerous escape routes across the Mediterranean and the hope for safety in Europe. The piece is based on real interviews and is complemented by musical elements that have been part of the performance since December 2021. It takes place at Heimathafen Neukölln in Berlin.

Location

Karl-Marx-Straße 141, 12043 Berlin, Germany

Hide Map

Loading map...

How to get there

Get Directions