Fin de Machine / Exit. Hamlet

Cameroon’s capital of Yaoundé was founded by the German colonial administration in 1889 as a research station for the ivory trade. In the German-Cameroonian coproduction “Fin de Maschine / Exit. Hamlet”, the Bochum ensemble “kainkollektiv” and the “Compagnie Les Ménestrels” from Yaoundé (director: Martin Ambara) teamed up for a theatrical expedition in search of traces of German colonial history and modern-day life in Yaoundé and Mülheim. The production was based on Heiner Müller’s play “Hamletmachine”. The actors, musicians, video artists, dancers and puppeteers in both groups addressed the issue of being foreigners and contemporaries in a globalized world. Their goal was to produce a play featuring performance art, music theatre and installations by means of mutually productive uncertainty. The organizers held accompanying workshops for students in Bochum and Yaoundé as well.

A coproduction by kainkollektiv Bochum and the Théâtre de Yaoundé/Compagnie les Ménestrels OTHNI (director: Martin Ambara) Cameroon, in cooperation with the Ringlokschuppen Mülheim, Forum Freies Theater Düsseldorf and Kampnagel Hamburg

Concept development and direction: Fabian Lettow/Miriam Schmuck (kainkollektiv (D)) and Martin Ambara (CM)
Video: Nils Voges (D)
Sound: Rasmus Nordholt (D)
Costume design: Emese Bodolay (D)
Production manager: Kirsten Möller (D)
Assistant director: Kathrin Ebmeier (D)

Artists: François Stéphane Alima Mbarga (CM), Antoine Effroy (FR), Junior Moïse Esseba (CM), Catherine Jodoin (CA), David Guy Kono (CM)

Schedule

Rehearsal period:
1st rehearsal block: 30 Jul. – 1 Sep. 2013 in Cameroon
2nd rehearsal block: 7 Oct. – 8 Nov. 2013 in Germany

Premiere: 8 Nov. 2013 in Mülheim
Additional performances: 9 Nov. 2013 Mülheim; 22-23 Nov. 2013 Forum Freies Theater Düsseldorf; 28-30 Nov. 2013 Kampnagel Hamburg

Premiere in Cameroon: Jan. 2014 at Théatre de Yaoundé