UP CLOSE & RELATIONAL

«We-Switzerland» has won over «I-Switzerland» commented a national television correspondent a few weeks ago after the vote on TV and radio licence fees in Switzerland (the so called «No-Billag-Initiative»). Finally, we can feel that We-Switzerland again! For a long time, we haven’t been able to say that after a vote.

We’re sticking together and are paying voluntarily for something that we might not even find that good ourselves, because we understand how important it is for a lot of people in our country, especially for the linguistic minorities (which, by the way, includes sign language). We stand together in Swiss tradition, mentally all stir in the same fondue pot and are proud of it. But what’s outside of this We-Switzerland? Sadly, this we ends at et the border.

This year’s productions in the AUA programme don’t care about borders. They look for a global we and put relations in the centre; relations between people, issues, parts of the world. They try to look at the big picture and go up close, at eye level. It’s not individuals which are in the focus, but their relationship to each other and to the world. Former enemy soldiers meet on stage, an unintentional internet phenomenon speaks of her «fame», money is brought to court, dance and music merge, and we form communities with other spectators.

The supporting programme at the Festival Centre is also curated in the spirit of relational thinking. In the first half of the festival, artists from the main programme or that or otherwise related to AUA will perform at the Festival Centre. (You will even be able to see our technical director on stage!)

For the last two years, AUA has been building a bridge between the cultures of the deaf and the hearing. We have hearing impaired co-workers and volunteers and some shows and after-show-talks are translated into Swiss German Sign Language or are surtitled. This year, we are celebrating this bridge with a Bilingual Slam, in which hearing and deaf slam poets will compete against each other in spoken word and sign language.

We are very happy to present you a concentrated dose of theatre from Argentina, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland at Schlachthaus Theater, Dampfzentrale and at Tojo Theater. For the ultimate borderless we-feeling, visit our literally networked Festival Centre at PROGR.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Your AUA team