The Great Grand Other
Michael McCrae / Dina Zaitev / Matthias Schönijahn / Melanka Piroschik
The Great Grand Other
‘THE GREAT GRAND OTHER’ examines the passing on of war memories and traumas across generations. Between scenic concert, installation and performance, a poetic-musical search takes place, the starting point of which is a blank space. Making silence resound and asking about the traces of war in our own families and in ourselves.
The audience enters an immersive setting where they first have to position themselves spatially. The entire floor is covered in gravel. Every step crunches. Musician Melanka Piroschik plays old Ukrainian, Yiddish, German and British folk songs with her violin and voice, which merge with the electronic soundscapes of media artist Matthias Schönijahn. Mysterious images from a cherry orchard and translations of the foreign songs appear on video screens. McCrae and Zaitev search in the gravel and in their memories for answers to the questions their ancestors asked them - for words in a sea of silence.
Notes
Sturdy shoes are recommended.
Age indication
We recommend the play for ages 14+.
Biographien der Künstler*innen
Michael Neil McCrae is a freelance producer, director and performer. He has German-English roots, grew up near Hamburg, studied in Giessen and currently lives and works in Dresden. His artistic interest lies in the realisation of fiction and the fictionalisation of reality. Together with various artists and in changing teams, he develops art projects for the stage and the public or digital space. Among other things, he is part of the art and performance project theatrale subversion, which he has been running together with independent director Romy Weyrauch since 2016.
Produktionen theatrale subversion:
2020: ‘Das Archiv der lebenden Toten’ (idea, co-conception and realisation). The highly acclaimed work (e.g. 3Sat ‘Kulturzeit’, Dfunk Kultur ‘Rang 1’, Berliner Tagesspiegel, etc.) is a digital art and documentation project. Made possible by the Denkzeit grant from the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony and the Reload programme of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, among others.
The archive: https://lebende-tote.de
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/492061465
Report in the 3Sat ‘Kulturzeit’ programme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
2021: ‘LEBENDE MINUS TOTE’ (idea, co-conception, co-direction, performance) - a hybrid music theatre production that works on stage and as a 360° VR film. In co-production with HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts. Supported by the project funding in the areas of performing arts and film of the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony and the Performing Arts Fund.
The complete 360° film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/656235340
2022: ‘PLAYGROUND PROHLIS’ (co-conception, dramaturgy, co-direction) - a multimedia neighbourhood portrait with an 8th grade class from the 121st secondary school in Prohlis. In co-production with HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts. Funded by the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony, among others.
More info: www.michaelmccrae.de
Dina Zaitev, born in Chişinău, Moldova, is a post-Soviet, Jewish artist from Dresden. Her work is based on a transdisciplinary approach. She combines theatre, narrative and text with installative and performative elements.
More info: www.dinazaitev.com
Matthias Schönijahn is an artist living in Berlin. He works in the fields of video and performative sound installation. His work is based on theories and practices of deep listening as an artistic strategy and political mode of action. One of his main interests is the voice as a more-than-human phenomenon.
More info: www.matthias-schoenijahn.info
Melanka Piroschik is a German-Ukrainian musician, composer and artist from Leipzig. Her focus is on the contemporary reinterpretation of traditional music and the adaptation of musical rites that originated in Ukraine, among other places. She works as part of the duo Moloch & Nadiya, among others.
More info: www.melankapiroschik.com
Credits
Artistic direction: Michael McCrae, Dina Zaitev, Matthias Schönijahn
Performance: Michael McCrae, Dina Zaitev
Music | Sound Art: Melanka Piroschik, Matthias Schönijahn
Video: Matthias Schönijahn
Stage/Room: Dina Zaitev
Costume design: Nicolas Navarro Rueda
Technical direction | lighting design: Martin Mulik
Outside Eye: Constantin von Thun
Production management: Nicole Meier | art.revolution
In co-production with HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts. With the kind support of LOFFT - Das Theater. Funded by the State Capital Dresden - Office for Culture and Monument Protection, Fonds Darstellende Künste (#TakeHeart process funding and revival funding) with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of NEUSTART KULTUR and the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony (production funding and guest performance funding). This measure is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.
Eintritt Pay what you can (5/12/18/25€)
Ort
Ringlokschuppen | Am Schloß Broich 38 | 45479 Mülheim an der Ruhr
Eine Koproduktion von
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