Presence of the colonial Past

The Theaterformen festival focused on post-coloniality and theatre in 2010. The main programme featured four theatre productions, accompanied by a film series, conference, an international theatre academy and a music programme. The theatre maker Faustin Linyekula, who was directing Racine’s tragedy Berenice with performers from Congo, drew a parallel between Berenice and the black soldiers who served for France in the 20th century. For the play Mission, directed by Raven Ruell, the Belgian writer David Van Reybrouck staged numerous interviews with Belgian missionaries in Congo. The choreographer and dancer Boyzie Cekwana from South Africa, was producing two pieces which dealt with his identity as an African artist against the backdrop of apartheid and colonialism. The work was inspired by a series of laws passed in 1923 which forbid blacks to move to the cities, which in effect prevented them from participating in urban life, culture, education, business and power. The international conference, held during the festival, examined which forms and formats were practical for presenting theatre from other cultures.

Artistic director: Anja Dirks
Participants / artists: Boyzie Cekwana (ZA), Faustin Linyekula (CD), Raven Ruëll (B), Brett Bailey, Nanna Heidenreich, Jörg Zboralski, Christine Regus

Venues and schedule:
Staatstheater Braunschweig, 2 – 12 Jun. 2010
Film series (Roter Saal, Office of Cultural Affairs), 8 Apr. – 3 Jun. 2010