After the intro, we started each day together at the theatre, warming up and spreading into different groups and tasks. Our workshop space served as a DIY laboratory, where the kids came to build props and costumes, while the other groups focused on developing scenes, characters and the set design. The aim was to create an interactive performance.
In our “laboratory” we first revamped the black overalls, which we had all received on the first day, with glittery tapes and LEDs. Then we moved on to bigger props. We discussed how humans will be in the future and this led to the idea of building a maintenance vehicle, that would support bodily functions. We had a joystick-controlled electric wheelchair in the basement, which was perfect for this purpose. Additionally, two grandma-style shopping cars were turned into trailers. The first trailer contained mesmerising plasma globes and provided an energy reserve of the people of the future. The second one resembled a plastic flower aquarium and was there to offer clean air – presuming that this would be scarce in the future.
Several smaller props were also produced during the intensive week: cool helmets and hats, more decoration for the overalls, hula-hoop scanners, a time capsule and wizardly wands for the kids, who guided the guests through the performance. Our studio was covered in DIY materials, with leftover tape pieces and other trash continuously sticking into our sleeves and socks.
It was worth all the mess and effort: the final performance turned out spectacular! As you can see on the video, the final parade led by the glowing maintenance car was quite a highlight. With this ceremonial drive we transported the time capsule into its final destination in the park – it contains wishes for the future and will be excavated and investigated again in ten years.
Special thanks to Sarah Kramer, Sarah Wiederhold and Dominik Stillfried, Jona Aulepp, Emelie Schade und Lena Velte for making all the parts of this project to click together so fantastically. We want to also dearly thank the participating kids, who worked with us and made such a cool set of props. Our car pilot Anton deserves a special mention for manoeuvring the challenging vehicle beautifully.
