BITTER (SWEET) HOME

How can a participatory development of a play look like that unites diverse perspectives and collaboratively develops new narratives for the stage?

The BITTER (SWEET) HOME team is taking up this challenge. A six-person ‘writers’ room’ with BPoC writers has been working on new methods and content for theatre texts with an anti-racist stance since April 2021. How do we want to work together? What structures do we need? What stories do we want to tell and for whom? The authors are dealing with these and other questions. Until June, they will collaboratively develop a play whose narrative draws on the different competencies, perspectives and experiences of the authors. The goal: a spoken theatre production for four actors that can be shown flexibly at different venues. The resulting production will put the results of the ‘writers’ room’ to the test and is scheduled to premiere in Düsseldorf in August 2021.

The ensemble of BITTER (SWEET) HOME will present the first excerpts from the project at the asphalt Festival 2021. A few weeks before the premiere, they will give an insight into the results of the ‘writers’ room’ and the joint work at a staged reading. Afterwards, the team invites you to a post-performance discussion.
The project is directed by Julia-Huda Nahas. She is a freelance director, author and cultural educator with a focus on structural racism and the effects of a European refugee policy. Emel Aydoğdu is a director, dramaturg and writer and part of the “Writers’ Room” for BITTER (SWEET) HOME as an editor. In addition to working for municipal stages, both are increasingly active in the independent scene.

Authors: Bernice Lysiana Ekoula Akouala, Rosina Kaleab, Fatima Remli, Sarah Claire Wray
Artistic director: Julia-Huda Nahas
Editing, dramaturgy: Emel Aydoğdu.

The cast of the production will be announced shortly.

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