Theater im Bahnhof
MEN/ SCH/ EN/ MAR/ KT—
The Game with the Vicious Circle
Performance / Commissioned work
Theater im Bahnhof, MEN/ SCH/ EN/ MAR/ KT— The Game with the Vicious Circle, 2019, performance, Markthalle Eggenberg, Graz, photo: Johannes Gellner
Dates
21.9.–12.10.2019
Details
21.9.19, 28.9.19, 2.10.19, 5.10.19, 9.10.19, 12.10.19, 09:00–13:00
6.10.19, 12:00–16:00
Location
Markthalle Eggenberg
Graz
Production specifics
Commissioned by steirischer herbst ’19
Produced by Theater im Bahnhof in coproduction with steirischer herbst ’19
The new role-playing game staged by Theater im Bahnhof at Markthalle Eggenberg proves that it is nearly impossible to escape the vicious circle of poverty. The audience is invited to play a game of chance and skill within the farmers market. Participants compete for pensions, health care, education, and financial stability— all things taken for granted in social-democratic welfare states and now subject to radical market forces. While blackjack winnings may improve your financial score and trivia quizzes may yield cultural capital, overachievers are disqualified, and once in a while, the action is interrupted by catastrophic events. Performers take on the roles of officials—from NGOs, government agencies, support groups, banks, and other institutions involved in the creation, maintenance, or perpetuation of poverty—and intervene in the game. When the suspicion arises that the croupiers in their games might not be following the rules properly and some of the overly emotional players at the table might be planted, the game takes a surreal turn that strangely resembles reality.
Concept, direction: Ed. Hauswirth, Ensemble
Stage and costume design: Heike Barnard
Assistance stage and costume design: Helene Thümmel
By and with: Juliette Eröd, Gabriela Hiti, Eva Hofer, Monika Klengel, and others
Advisory: Mario Matzer, Thomas Tripold
Mediathek
Retrospective
Retrospective