IKARUS
At the gala for the 23rd edition of the IKARUS Theatre Prize, the outstanding Berlin Theatre productions for children and young people were honored on Friday evening at the Atze MusikTheatre. An expert jury and a youth jury decided independently of each other and awarded a total of three winners. The winners in the children's Theatre category are "جنيّة Dschinnīya" by Minouche Petrusch (Ikarus of the youth jury) and "OHNE DICH - das geht doch nicht" by ARTISANEN (Ikarus of the expert jury). The winner in the youth Theatre category is "Wir holen uns die Nacht zurück" by Theatre Strahl - awarded by the expert jury and the youth jury. All four prizes are worth €2,500.
The gala took place in the presence of and with greetings from Senator for Culture Joe Chialo and - with a video message - from Falko Liecke, State Secretary for Youth and Family.
The 5-member expert jury (Maja Das Gupta, Isabel Feifel, Claudius Lünstedt, Stefan Petzoldt, Teresa Schomburg) and an 8-member youth jury had viewed the nominated productions in the weeks leading up to the IKARUS Gala and made their decision last Tuesday in independent meetings. After all the nominated plays had been performed live on stage in 5-minute excerpts, the IKARUS awards were presented. The winners in the children's Theatre category were Minouche Petrusch and ARTISANEN, two small companies in co-production with Theatre o.N. and Schaubude and FigurenTheatre Grashüpfer respectively. In the youth category, Theatre Strahl, which was nominated for the first time following the handover to the young management team for the 2021/22 season, won both prizes. The gala was hosted by KIKA presenter and actress Pia Amofa-Antwi, who was charming and full of sparkling energy. RUSNAM provided the musical accompaniment, heating up the atmosphere with their DJ set.
Kathrin Völker-Krause, Managing Director of the organizing JugendKulturService, also formulated a political message in her speech: "Berlin is not only the capital, but also the capital of culture. This results in an irrefutable responsibility and obligation. Because Theatre plays a significant role in penetrating the world with the means of art, questioning it, showing new approaches and encouraging people. This access to culture is invaluable, ecertainly for the youngest Berliners. We are therefore standing together today to say loud and clear: we must not and cannot afford cuts in this area."
IKARUS award winner of the youth jury in the field of children's Theatre:
جنيّة Dschinnīya - The essence of wishes - Minouche Petrusch
Laudation of the youth jury
With a fairytale-like story from the Arabian Nights, the play Dschinniya encourages us to think. Who am I and what do I want? In search of answers to these questions, the audience accompanies a young musician and is literally and figuratively drawn into the action.
When Dschinniya, a genie in a bottle, appears, the story takes its course. Dschinnya helps him on his way and enchants not only him but also the audience with her stories.
In a playful, artistic and musical way, the play deals with the question of identity and incorporates different languages and cultures. At the same time, it tells well-known stories in a new way, not only breaking clichés, but also encouraging people to understand that they already have many things that others only wish they had. The play achieves this entirely without being preachy or boring.
Small anecdotes are woven into a big story and touch a wide range of emotions. This makes the play absolutely worth seeing, not only for children but also for adults.
The visual design of the play is also worth seeing.
The golden stage creates a very warm, friendly light.
Together with the inviting live music of the lute at the entrance and the fact that the audience sits in a circle on the stage at the beginning, a very "familiar" atmosphere is immediately created and the audience is immersed in the world of Dschinniya right from the start.
The ingenious shadow play accompanies stories with images in a simple but very effective and appropriate way.
The way in which the oriental-style costumes are designed in harmony with the stage and the story is also impressive.
With its balanced and innovative use of theatrical means, this work full of emotion and vitality leads us to a modern allegory of the classic legend of the ghost from the oil lamp. The artists' meticulous work in the implementation of lighting, music and certain effects, such as the use of smoke, candles and shadows, creates a tense and fascinating atmosphere. In addition, the dynamic and playful design of the stage, the informal interaction with the audience and the free movement of the actors through the space make a visit to Dschinniya a very certain Theatre experience.
I can't help but say something else
We would like to give a certain mention to the play where the auditorium merged with the stage and we accompanied the dancers on their emotional journeys through the world of Krump: "I can't let it go" is a participatory dance piece where young and old can let go of their inhibitions.
But now a big round of applause for the Dschinniya team for the Ikarus Prize 2024.
Laudation of the IKARUS Youth Jury 2024
I can't stop | 6+ | Tanzkomplizen
A participatory piece with Krump dancers by Janne Gregor
| Piece description |
Who owns the stage? Four Krump dancers ask themselves this question and take the audience into the spotlight. Krump is a dance style that has only recently appeared on stage. It originated as Afro-diasporic dance culture on the streets of L.A. and is based on a rebellion against social inequality and discrimination. For many dancers, Krump is still a place of refuge and a substitute for family. The Krump community creates community, it's about showing up and supporting each other.
Choreographer Janne Gregor transfers this self-empowering Krump attitude to life into the Theatre space and breaks down the usual hierarchies between audience and performers. A lively choreography is created live in close exchange with pupils. Dance becomes a means of communication, each performance a unique experience that makes it possible to experience why you simply can't stop dancing.
| From the jury statement
Krump as an urban dance style celebrates the freedom of individual expression. Krump as a community enables playful competition in an atmosphere of cohesion and support. Watching, cheering, participating: The participatory Krump performance by the Tanzkomplizen allows you to share in these qualities. Without words, the four dancers communicate when we can watch them, follow their movements or come up with our own steps. As if by magic, a temporary community is created in the clearly structured stage (free) space with its graffiti backdrops. Low-threshold, but with a high pleasure factor, a young audience from the age of 6 gets to know an art form that began as a self-empowering social movement of black dancers and has conquered a new place with the stage.
| O-Ton Jury |
Participating instead of watching - this is the basis of Krump as an urban dance style. In Janne Gregor's participatory performance, anyone who wants to can help shape the choreography. In this way, a temporary community or: stage utopia is created in the creative free space opened up to all those present.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Fri. 13.09., 11:00 | Podewil
| Credits |
Artistic direction, choreography: Janne Gregor
By and with: Queen Buckhype, Iman Gele, Kofie DaVibe, Baby Wave
Stage, costume: Johanna Schraut
Music: Moritz Thorbecke, BravoDomo
Lighting design: Luigi Kovacs
Dramaturgical support: Thomas Schaupp
Assistance choreography and production: Lena Klink
Dance mediation: Amelie Mallmann, Lucia Matzke
Outside Eye: Livia Patrizi
Audio editing: Matthias Millhoff
Production management: Sina Kießling, Thomas Dörschel
Photos: René Löffler
A production by TANZKOMPLIZEN in collaboration with tanzhaus nrw, funded by the Federal Ministry for Families, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth as part of the funding program "Das Zukunftspaket für Bewegung, Kultur und Gesundheit" and take-off: Junger Tanz. The Future Package for Physical Activity, Culture and Health is a program of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). It is implemented by the Gesellschaft für soziale Unternehmensberatung (gsub) and the SPI Foundation. The German Children and Youth Foundation (DKJS) is responsible for the "Child and Youth Participation in the Future Package" part of the program.
IKARUS award winner of the expert jury in the field of children's Theatre:
Artisanen: WITHOUT you, that's not possible
WorldWandering | 10+ | DieOrdnungDerDinge
A music-Theatre collage about bird migration | World premiere
| Play description
On their journeys across continents, migratory birds complete veritable odysseys. They cover thousands of kilometers in astonishing formations, defy storms, overcome mountains and phases of exhaustion. But how do they find their way together? How do they know which direction to fly in? Do they follow the stars or the moon? Do they call each other? Or do they learn how to navigate from their parents? And how do they orient themselves in a changing climate?
The ensemble DieOrdnungDerDinge sees the flight paths of numerous migratory birds in the Theatre sky and, in this music-Theatre collage, explores the skills needed on land, at sea and in the air to arrive in distant lands. The three performers pick up on the sound of chirping and cawing and take a break with the birds on their incredible journeys into the distance. They take a look at the migration routes of their own families and follow in the footsteps of the crane, nightingale, goose and cuckoo: the ensemble discovers the birds' sixth sense, marvels at their anatomy and is amazed by their flying skills. The result is a composition of baroque and contemporary bird sounds, images and stories about the constant wandering that seems to connect man and bird.
| From the jury statement
Baroque meets pop meets ornithology. The ensemble "DieOrdnungDerDinge" brings many worlds together. With playful and mischievous seriousness, three performers lead us into a dreamlike landscape full of clouds, sensual projections and quirky bird costumes. With virtuosically played instruments such as cello, piano and violin, as well as their own vocals, they enter into a captivating dialog with the birds' voices. And develop their very own sounds in the process. At the same time, the ensemble also imparts astonishing knowledge about migratory birds such as the crane - and about us humans, our life paths and migration routes. In this way, the piece easily awakens a love of birds as well as a love of music. And builds fantastic bridges between the two.
| O-Ton Jury
"Weltenwandern" delves into the mysterious world of migratory birds with a sensual landscape of sounds and images, from baroque to pop. The piece shows: The best way back to nature is through music. An enigmatic feast for the ears, eyes and brain.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Thu. 05.09., 17:00 | FELD Theatre
| Credits |
By and with DieOrdnungDerDinge: Cathrin Romeis (performance, cello), Vera Kardos (performance, violin), Iñigo Giner Miranda (performance, piano)
Artistic direction: Cathrin Romeis
Arrangements, composition: Iñigo Giner Miranda
Dramaturgy: Franziska Seeberg
Set design: Àngela Ribera Adrover
Media art: Quiet City, Daniela del Pomar, Paul Holdsworth
Assistant director: Tobias Felice
Technical direction, lighting: Stefan Neumann
Graphics: Gabi Altevers
Public Relations: Nora Gores
Artistic Production Management: Ayako Toyama
Production FELD Theatre: Helena Palmer
a production by DieOrdnungDerDinge | in co-production with FELD Theatre für junges Publikum | supported by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion, with funds from the Capital Cultural Fund, Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten and Stipendium Musikalische Komposition der Baskischen Regierung | supported by Kulturinitiative Förderband gGmbH | media partner: taz
Statement from the Artisanen on the IKARUS 202
will follow shortly
IKARUS prizewinner of the expert and youth jury in the field of youth Theatre:
We're taking back the night - Theatre Strahl
Youth jury laudation for "We're taking back the night"
Wir holen uns die Nacht zurück portrays the complicated relationship between three teenage friends through the particularly well thought-out and multi-layered characters.
The adult actors succeed in slipping into the roles of younger people and portraying them credibly.
They empathize with the characters with playful ease and yet create a deep emotional connection with the audience.
In addition, the carefully designed costumes help to visually emphasize the characters' individual quirks and individualities, further enhancing understanding of the characters' actions and motivations.
The play deals with the very important topic of addiction. The play is primarily about drug addiction, of course, but the potentially harmful dependencies between people are also treated with great care.
In addition, topics such as domestic violence and serious problems with parents, which unfortunately often play a major role in the lives of young people, are portrayed very sensitively. You have really succeeded very well in realizing this complex topic.
The play not only shows Kaya's side and how she destroys herself, but also how she drags Ilvy into it and how this spreads to Ilvy's environment. You have managed to present these serious topics in a way that appeals to both young people and adults and makes them think.
We also particularly liked the dynamics of the play. Without a dull moment, emotional, funny or thought-provoking situations were linked together. As an audience member, we were able to be completely carried away by the play and immerse ourselves in the story.
Even in the slow scenes, you can feel a great deal of energy, which is why the time flies by, even for a relatively long play. The actors manage to cast a spell over the audience for 90 minutes, captivating them emotionally and energetically.
We are delighted to present the Ikarus Prize 2024 to Theatre Strahl.
Laudation of the IKARUS Youth Jury 2024
Laudation by the expert jury for "We're taking back the night"
Kaya and Ilvy - how lucky you are as a teenager to have a friend by your side who is one hundred percent with you. What even greater luck if this friend is not your friend because she seems to be exactly like you, but because she is completely different. Then all the first times - love, parties, alcohol, drugs - can be experienced even better together: While Ilvy, played by Anne Schietzold, acts thoughtfully and instinctively, Kaya, played by Jana Heilmann, needs the intoxicating, extreme, even painful, in order to be very close to herself. An almost ideal combination of friends, until Kaya's intoxication slips away, she no longer controls it herself, but is controlled and suddenly disappears without a trace. Now Ilvy has to act. With her infinitely patient boyfried Kaan, played by Leon Zawadi, who is hoping for love, she embarks on a road trip through Kaya's past - on the trail of the causes of her crash and with an eye on her plight.
With the help of a cleverly arranged stage version, which largely exorcizes the prosaic nature of the text, the team led by director Masha Sapizhak succeeds in creating an energetic, raw, loud, brutally honest and unsparing atmosphere. A sense of participation is conveyed from the very first minute. Via a club stamp at the entrance, the audience automatically becomes part of a feverish trip through the nights and days of uncertainty surrounding Kaya's fate. A few props, such as a rolling clothes rack with transparent plastic threads, which sometimes serves as club equipment, a car or an ECG curve, are enough to suggest the stages of the journey. The jury was particularly impressed by the production's courage in not even attempting to smooth over the abundance of thematic heavyweights such as drug addiction, drinking and driving, love and sex, or to make them disappear. Problems remain stubbornly in the room, but have at least been dragged out of the darkness into the light and find their echo in the secret core of the play: the co-dependence of an overburdened best friend, whose attempts to save herself put her in danger.
The expert jury is certain: the young audience is picked up in this work and feels seen. Since its foundation, Theatre Strahl has deliberately targeted first-time Theatregoers. After WIR HOLEN UNS DIE NACHT ZURÜCK, the return to Theatre Strahl is made easy.
Congratulations on the Ikarus 2024!
Laudation by the IKARUS expert jury 2024, written by Claudius Lünstedt
Statement by Theatre Strahl on the IKARUS 2024
will follow shortly
Nominated productions for the IKARUS 2024
The nominated productions were jointly determined by our nomination jury at the beginning of May after a detailed discussion of all viewings. The detailed program brochure for this year's IKARUS season with performance dates for all productions will be published in August.
Children's Theatre
Can't do it without you | 4+ | Artisanen
A story about friendship based on the children's book by Smriti Prasadam-Halls & Steve Small.
| Play description
Bear and Squirrel know each other well. Bear always knows where Squirrel's treasures are and what music he doesn't like. Squirrel knows Bear's favorite hiding place and the trick to waking Bear up. They do almost everything together, even though they are so different. This goes well for a long time, but suddenly there's a crack. An argument and silence. Squirrel is gone and Bear is alone. But they can't do without each other... can they?
With subtle humor and without words, the Artisanen' play for children aged 4 and up and adults tells of the challenges and happiness of friendship, of being alone and that differences don't have to be an obstacle.
| From the jury statement
In Franziska Dittrich's sensitive and clever production, the bear and the squirrel meet at eye level despite their great differences. The audience experiences their friendship, experiencing highs and lows, a complete break at some point, but also the way back to each other. With humor, virtuoso actors and a great deal of sensitivity, the play reflects the dynamics of friendships, that differences of opinion become challenges that can be overcome, that being alone is not a real alternative to true friendship. The two puppeteers in particular impress with their pointed and detailed acting, allowing the audience to immerse themselves completely in the cosmos of the two animals.
| O-Ton Jury
Full of sensitivity and humor, in this production you experience the challenges of friendship, accompanying two virtuously acted creatures who grow close to your heart through their life together.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Tue. 05.11., 10:00 | FigurenTheatre Grashüpfer
Wed. 06.11., 10:00 | FigurenTheatre Grashüpfer
Thu. 07.11., 10:00 | FigurenTheatre Grashüpfer
https://Theatre-treptower-park.de/
| Credits |
Concept: Artisanen / Franziska Dittrich
Director: Franziska Dittrich
Play: Inga Schmidt / Stefan Spitzer
Puppet construction: Mechtild Nienaber
Stage design: Stefan Spitzer
Music: Mark Badur / Inga Schmidt
Photographer: Sandra Hermannsen
Performance rights: Smriti Prasadam-Halls & Steve Small
Co-production: Schaubude Berlin / FigurenTheatre Grashüpfer im Treptower Park | supported by Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of NEUSTART KULTUR.
OttO Augenmerk taped Kunterbunt | 4+ | Gabriel Galindez Cruz / Jan Kress
a play for deaf and hearing children
| Play description
Curious and adventurous, OttO Augenmerk travels from universe to universe. Finally, he lands on Earth. He decides to stay and get to know it. First he builds a roof over his head. Using duct tape and his imagination, he builds a house, a bed, a kitchen, a shower, a hairdryer and other everyday things. OttO learns to use everything - and then he gets bored. One day is like the next.
Fortunately, he has the unique ability to create things and change them in any way he likes. He goes in search of new colors to make his world more colorful and beautiful.
| From the jury statement|
A stage in black light that gradually transforms into its own little universe with neon-colored tapes - the universe of Otto Augenmerk. Bit by bit and with a lot of joy, he finds out what he needs to live so that he likes his world. And so he invents a roof over his head, a bed, a shower and whatever else he needs out of nothing but colorful tapes. Otto Augenmerk moves through the world he has created with wonder and dance, taking us with him, humorously and light-footedly, without words and with plenty of room for our own imagination. The production is very close to the world of play and experience, the inventive spirit and the joy of exploration of very young children.
| Original jury statement
Creating their own world from the simplest of means and with a large dose of imagination and inventiveness - Otto Augenmerk achieves this in this sensitive and humorous production for deaf and hearing children in an amazing way, completely without words and with a stage aesthetic that is as simple as it is fascinating.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Thu. 12.09., 11:00 a.m. | ACUD Theatre
Fri. 13.09., 7:00 p.m. | ACUD Theatre
Sat. 14.09., 11:00 a.m. | ACUD Theatre
Sun. 15.09., 3:00 p.m. | ACUD Theatre
| Credits |
Concept, direction: Gabriel Galindez Cruz
Ideas and choreography: Jan Kress and Gabriel Galindez Cruz
Performance: Jan Kress/ Nadia Kichler
Dramaturgy: Emilio Diaz Abregú
Lighting: Asier Solana
Music: Jonas Meyer Meyer
Costume: Federico Polucci
Set design: Brad Hwang, Gabriel Galindez Cruz
Assistance: Valeria Oviedo Garcia, Johanna Paul
Coaching Visual Vernacular: Giuseppe Giuranna
Outside eye: Steve Stymest, Nadia Kischler
DGS interpreter: Isabel Wunschel
Graphics: Jana Dörfel
Production management: Jutta Polić
Press & public relations: Sandra Ellegiers
a production by Gabriel Galindez Cruz | funded by Fonds Darstellende Kunst - Neustart Kultur / Prozessförderung | supported by Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt / Stipendien Tanzpraxis 2022/2023 | created at Theatrehaus Mitte Berlin
Yuki-Onna | The Snow Woman | 4+ | Isabelle Schad
A dance piece by Isabelle Schad with Aya Toraiwa
| Piece description
Yuki Onna is a Japanese myth. It tells of a mysterious woman with long black hair who appears in the cold of the snow and invites all the children she meets to play with the wind.
The stage is transformed into a white snowy landscape, while powerful excerpts from the fairy tale in English, German and Japanese merge with Aya Toraiwa's movements to create a poetic and sensual dance experience for all generations.
| From the jury statement
The stage space in front of the audience is bare and cold. And yet it seems inviting - almost warm. A child plays in the fresh snow. Oblivious. When it starts to snow, he wants to go home and follows his tracks. But the fresh snow has covered them and the child can no longer find its way. Then, through the drifting snow, he discovers black hair in the wind - and follows it.
With impressive and striking images that quote the aesthetics of Japanese culture, with a high basic tension that is maintained throughout the piece, with calm and clear dance movements, with subtle lighting and atmospheric sound, Yuki-Onna creates an intense, impressive and long-lasting dance Theatre experience for an audience of almost any age.
| O-Ton Jury
A piece that immediately casts a spell over you, that doesn't let go so quickly and that touches you deeply in its reduction and clever drama. A dance Theatre experience for everyone!
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Sun. 29.09., 16:00 | Tanzhalle Wiesenburg
Mon. 30.09., 10:00 | Tanzhalle Wiesenburg
| Credits |
Concept, choreographer: Isabelle Schad
Co-choreographer, dance: Aya Toraiwa
Lighting design, technology: Madison Pomarico, Bruno Pocheron
Composition, sound: Damir Simunović
Voice coaching: Ignacio Jarquin
Production management: Heiko Schramm
Advice for young audiences: Dagmar Domrös
a production by Isabelle Schad | co-production with Toihaus Theatre Salzburg | in cooperation with Tanzhalle Wiesenburg and Theatre o.N. | funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion
جنيّة Dschinnīya | 6+ | Minouche Petrusch
The essence of wishes
| Play description |
Gold! Power! Bratwurst! What happens when a djinnīya - a female genie in a bottle - breaks out of the Arabian desert and no longer wants to fulfill every wish? What do I actually need in life, what do I want most, and what should and may remain just a wish? Piece by piece, the stage is filled with stories, songs and wishes. The audience sits in the middle of this growing installation and accompanies a young musician on his journey to himself - always accompanied by a headstrong Dschinnīya, who inspires him and the audience to listen deeply into themselves - into their own realm of wishes and dreams.
In German, Viennese and Arabic, Minouche Petrusch (Germany) and René Sami Salim (Austria & Saudi Arabia) tell stories with music and shadow play and take the audience on a fairytale journey for all the senses.
In the epilogue, all audience members can add their own wishes to the stage. The result is a large, ever-growing installation of wishes in which an astonishing number of similarities can be discovered.
| From the jury statement |
"جنيّة Dschinnīya" invites the audience into a magical and at the same time reality-reflecting world full of questions and wishes. The story of a young musician on a journey of self-discovery and a djinnīya who no longer simply wants to fulfill every wish encourages the audience to reflect on their own wishes and needs. The unique staging, which actively involves the audience, creates an intimate atmosphere that takes the audience on a journey of self-reflection. The play and concept by Minouche Petrusch together with the play and music by René Sami Salim as well as the set and costume by Marie Akoury and the overall concept create a world in which the audience can immerse themselves that is both entertaining and inspiring. A Theatre experience that ultimately inspires and stimulates children and adults alike.
| O-Ton Jury |
"جنيّة Dschinnīya" impresses with its successful handling of natural multilingualism as well as the questioning of expectations and ultimately the liberation from these towards a self-empowered approach and expression.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Thu. 05.09., 10:00 | Theatre o.N.
Fri. 06.09., 10:00 | Theatre o.N.
Sat. 07.09., 16:00 | Theatre o.N.
Sun. 08.09., 16:00 | Theatre o.N.
Thu. 10.10., 10:30 | Haus der Statistik
Fri. 11.10., 11:30 | Haus der Statistik
Sat. 12.10., 15:00 | Haus der Statistik
Sun. 13.10., 16:00 | Haus der Statistik
Mon. 14.10., 11:00 | Haus der Statistik
Tue. 15.10., 11:00 | Haus der Statistik
| Credits |
Idea, play: Minouche Petrusch
Music, play: René Sami Salim
Set, costume: Marie Akoury
Stage design: Tilo Käbel, Katja Kentenich
Sound design, lighting: Edgardo Gomez
Production management, dramaturgy: Hannes Raphael
Photos: Till Budde
Video: Markus Roche, Jens Staeder
certain thanks to Nora Amin, Michaela Millar, Katharina Dimitrov-Mohammad & class 6a of Heinrich-Seidel Primary School, Nadim Akoury, Belinda Masur, Mario Teuber, Karoline Heyde, Victor Gismondi, Grandma Leni, Yaser Mohammad, Tina Schulle, Silke Saalfrank, Vera Strobel, Dagmar Domrös, Gutshof Einklang, all the wishers.
a production by Minouche Petrusch | in cooperation with Theatre o.N. | supported by the Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of NEUSTART KULTUR
I can't stop | 6+ | Tanzkomplizen
A participatory piece with Krump dancers by Janne Gregor
| Piece description |
Who owns the stage? Four Krump dancers ask themselves this question and take the audience into the spotlight. Krump is a dance style that has only recently appeared on stage. It originated as Afro-diasporic dance culture on the streets of L.A. and is based on a rebellion against social inequality and discrimination. For many dancers, Krump is still a place of refuge and a substitute for family. The Krump community creates community, it's about showing up and supporting each other.
Choreographer Janne Gregor transfers this self-empowering Krump attitude to life into the Theatre space and breaks down the usual hierarchies between audience and performers. A lively choreography is created live in close exchange with pupils. Dance becomes a means of communication, each performance a unique experience that makes it possible to experience why you simply can't stop dancing.
| From the jury statement
Krump as an urban dance style celebrates the freedom of individual expression. Krump as a community enables playful competition in an atmosphere of cohesion and support. Watching, cheering, participating: The participatory Krump performance by the Tanzkomplizen allows you to share in these qualities. Without words, the four dancers communicate when we can watch them, follow their movements or come up with our own steps. As if by magic, a temporary community is created in the clearly structured stage (free) space with its graffiti backdrops. Low-threshold, but with a high pleasure factor, a young audience from the age of 6 gets to know an art form that began as a self-empowering social movement of black dancers and has conquered a new place with the stage.
| O-Ton Jury |
Participating instead of watching - this is the basis of Krump as an urban dance style. In Janne Gregor's participatory performance, anyone who wants to can help shape the choreography. In this way, a temporary community or: stage utopia is created in the creative free space opened up to all those present.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Fri. 13.09., 11:00 | Podewil
| Credits |
Artistic direction, choreography: Janne Gregor
By and with: Queen Buckhype, Iman Gele, Kofie DaVibe, Baby Wave
Stage, costume: Johanna Schraut
Music: Moritz Thorbecke, BravoDomo
Lighting design: Luigi Kovacs
Dramaturgical support: Thomas Schaupp
Assistance choreography and production: Lena Klink
Dance mediation: Amelie Mallmann, Lucia Matzke
Outside Eye: Livia Patrizi
Audio editing: Matthias Millhoff
Production management: Sina Kießling, Thomas Dörschel
Photos: René Löffler
A production by TANZKOMPLIZEN in collaboration with tanzhaus nrw, funded by the Federal Ministry for Families, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth as part of the funding program "Das Zukunftspaket für Bewegung, Kultur und Gesundheit" and take-off: Junger Tanz. The Future Package for Physical Activity, Culture and Health is a program of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). It is implemented by the Gesellschaft für soziale Unternehmensberatung (gsub) and the SPI Foundation. The German Children and Youth Foundation (DKJS) is responsible for the "Child and Youth Participation in the Future Package" part of the program.
Youth Theatre
WorldWandering | 10+ | DieOrdnungDerDinge
A music-Theatre collage about bird migration | World premiere
| Play description
On their journeys across continents, migratory birds complete veritable odysseys. They cover thousands of kilometers in astonishing formations, defy storms, overcome mountains and phases of exhaustion. But how do they find their way together? How do they know which direction to fly in? Do they follow the stars or the moon? Do they call each other? Or do they learn how to navigate from their parents? And how do they orient themselves in a changing climate?
The ensemble DieOrdnungDerDinge sees the flight paths of numerous migratory birds in the Theatre sky and, in this music-Theatre collage, explores the skills needed on land, at sea and in the air to arrive in distant lands. The three performers pick up on the sound of chirping and cawing and take a break with the birds on their incredible journeys into the distance. They take a look at the migration routes of their own families and follow in the footsteps of the crane, nightingale, goose and cuckoo: the ensemble discovers the birds' sixth sense, marvels at their anatomy and is amazed by their flying skills. The result is a composition of baroque and contemporary bird sounds, images and stories about the constant wandering that seems to connect man and bird.
| From the jury statement
Baroque meets pop meets ornithology. The ensemble "DieOrdnungDerDinge" brings many worlds together. With playful and mischievous seriousness, three performers lead us into a dreamlike landscape full of clouds, sensual projections and quirky bird costumes. With virtuosically played instruments such as cello, piano and violin, as well as their own vocals, they enter into a captivating dialog with the birds' voices. And develop their very own sounds in the process. At the same time, the ensemble also imparts astonishing knowledge about migratory birds such as the crane - and about us humans, our life paths and migration routes. In this way, the piece easily awakens a love of birds as well as a love of music. And builds fantastic bridges between the two.
| O-Ton Jury
"Weltenwandern" delves into the mysterious world of migratory birds with a sensual landscape of sounds and images, from baroque to pop. The piece shows: The best way back to nature is through music. An enigmatic feast for the ears, eyes and brain.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Thu. 05.09., 17:00 | FELD Theatre
| Credits |
By and with DieOrdnungDerDinge: Cathrin Romeis (performance, cello), Vera Kardos (performance, violin), Iñigo Giner Miranda (performance, piano)
Artistic direction: Cathrin Romeis
Arrangements, composition: Iñigo Giner Miranda
Dramaturgy: Franziska Seeberg
Set design: Àngela Ribera Adrover
Media art: Quiet City, Daniela del Pomar, Paul Holdsworth
Assistant director: Tobias Felice
Technical direction, lighting: Stefan Neumann
Graphics: Gabi Altevers
Public Relations: Nora Gores
Artistic Production Management: Ayako Toyama
Production FELD Theatre: Helena Palmer
a production by DieOrdnungDerDinge | in co-production with FELD Theatre für junges Publikum | supported by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion, with funds from the Capital Cultural Fund, Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten and Stipendium Musikalische Komposition der Baskischen Regierung | supported by Kulturinitiative Förderband gGmbH | media partner: taz
Princess | 11+ | GRIPS Theatre
based on the film of the same name by Karsten Dahlem | world premiere
| Play description |
Ole is the boss. And as the boss, he knows what boys have to do. Firstly, he thinks everything that's girly is stupid. And secondly, to intimidate weaker children with his gang of gangsters. But then he meets the self-confident Lu, the new girl in the class, and EVERYTHING changes. Because, stupidly, she of all people discovers his biggest secret. Ole loves to secretly put on his princess dress and put on make-up. Now Lu has the boss in the palm of her hand and if he doesn't want to blow the whistle, they'll dance according to her rules. Ole's world, which he thought was safe, is suddenly turned upside down...
PRINCESS tells the story of two outsiders who embark on a journey to find themselves and learn that it's worth being brave and doing what you really feel.
| From the jury statement
What is a "real" boy: one who fights, bullies others and does ass bombs in the swimming pool? Or one who wears make-up, dances and dresses up? This touching play breaks with gender clichés in a captivating way: Gang boss Ole, played brilliantly by Daniel Pohlen, acts tough on the outside but secretly prefers to wear his princess dress. Of all people, the brash Lu, new to the class and anything but a typical girl, finds out about this. Will she expose the boss? The audience is thrilled, laughs and suffers along in this fast-paced production, which always stays close to the young people's world of experience, with a great ensemble and gripping live musical elements. A play that shows that it pays to be brave. Even if it can end in bloodshed.
| Original jury statement
"Princess" turns gender clichés on their head in a captivating production about "real" boys who want to wear a princess dress - and about having the courage to stand up for yourself. And with a touching, very broken happy ending.
| Performance dates
Thurs. 19.09., 11:00 am | GRIPS Theatre, Hansaplatz
Fri. 20.09., 11:00 am | GRIPS Theatre, Hansaplatz
Sun. 22.09., 16:00 pm | GRIPS Theatre, Hansaplatz
Fri. 18.10., 11:00 a.m. | GRIPS Theatre, Hansaplatz
Sat. 19.10., 4:00 p.m. | GRIPS Theatre, Hansaplatz
Mon. 21.10., 6:00 p.m. | GRIPS Theatre, Hansaplatz
https://www.grips-Theatre.de/de/
| Credits |
Performers: Daniel Pohlen, Eike N.A. Onyambu, René Schubert, Sarah El-Issa
Director: Karsten Dahlem
Stage: Justyna Jaszczuk
Costume: Silvie Naunheim
Music: Katrin Mickiewicz, Hans Schlotter
Dramaturgy: Tobias Diekmann
Theatre pedagogy: Lama Ali, Gitanjali Schmelcher
Beautiful Thing | 14+ | Theatre an der Parkaue - Junges StaatsTheatre Berlin
an urban fairy tale by Jonathan Harvey - translated from the English by Lisa Wegener
| Play description
A high-rise building, one floor. Jamie, Ste and Leah live next door to each other. Jamie sometimes skips school, for Ste it's sometimes too dangerous at home. Leah has been expelled from school and is now annoying everyone with the loud music she needs to keep herself grounded. Jamie and Ste fall in love. Sandra, who is bringing up Jamie all on her own, tries to keep everything under control, partly because she knows that everyone hears everything. Tony, her boyfriend, wants to help. And together they talk about queer love, extreme closeness, the search for identity and the difficult but important task of staying true to oneself, ecertainly when the desire to belong or to separate oneself is strong.
When Jonathan Harvey wrote "Beautiful Thing" in 1993, in the aftershocks of the AIDS crisis, LGBTQIA+ stories were characterized by the pain of that time. For Harvey, it was important to counter this with a queer romantic comedy that also tells of class and care work. This play will be newly translated for the Parkaue. With this production, director Babett Grube and her team want to open up a space in which an examination of fluid identity, community and what a normative society ascribes to our bodies can take place.
| From the jury statement
Jamie, Ste, Leah and so many questions about so-called growing up. Who shapes our identity and how can we resist this? How close can closeness be and when is a friendship perhaps love after all? And what does that mean for us? The Parkaue ensemble tackles themes such as queer love, belonging and individual boundaries with ease, careful acting and a great sensitivity for the small moments in between - and sounds.
Jamie's mother finds moments of fun and light-hearted family with Jamie, despite the difficulties of social inequality. If only it weren't for Tony, with whom she is in love - can he also live with Jamie and her, do they even want to? How freely can parents perhaps also deal with needs?
It ends with a performance - but one of their own choosing. Because Jamie and Ste have absolutely no reason to hide. A beautiful thing raises many questions - above all, how a young person can be themselves, remain themselves while belonging seems so big, so difficult.
| O-Ton Jury
Empowering, enthusiastic and honest - "Beautiful Thing" is touching and engaging, without any clichés, and, in addition to the big question of identity, also deals charmingly with topics such as new family images, forms of housing and social background. Both the message and the language of the characters remain accessible and inspiring throughout.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
currently no performance dates published
| Credits |
Director: Babett Grube
Stage: Camille Lacadee
Costumes: Andrea Barba
Music: houaïda
Dramaturgy: Alicia Agustín
Artistic direction: Soraya Reichl, Nils Erhard
With: Birgit Berthold, Salome Kießling, Claudia Korneev, Yazan Melhem, Andrej von Sallwitz
We're taking back the night | 14+ | Theatre Strahl
Based on the novel "Wir holen uns die Nacht zurück" by Nora Hoch
| Play description
Kaja and IIvy - two girls like sisters. They grow up in the same house and discover their first love, parties - and drugs. Their friendship reaches its limits when Kaja slips further and further into the drug swamp and IIvy's attempts to save herself fail. When Kaja disappears from a party, high on drugs, Ilvy and her friend Kaan set off in search of her. This reveals a life that IIvy knew nothing about.
Wir holen uns die Nacht zurück is a road movie, wild, anarchic and against all the rules. It is about drug addiction, co-dependency and loyalty in a friendship: how can you protect a loved one without losing yourself in the process?
| From the jury statement|
Two friends, inseparable since childhood, go through a crisis. Together they discover the allure of parties, alcohol and boys, but when Kaya starts taking drugs more and more often, Ilvy has to make a decision: Will she remain steadfast to her best friend or is it time to go her separate ways? In Nora Hoch's own adaptation of her young adult novel at Theatre Strahl, the expressive text is captivating. Direct, unsparing and empathetic, the play tells of the challenges of growing up. Director Masha Sapizhak and the three actors use the simplest of staging techniques to illustrate the emotional hardships of the characters without lecturing. And together with choreographer Florian Bilbao, they find a captivating image for Kaya's drift into another reality.
| O-Ton Jury
This adaptation of a novel tells the story of how drug addiction threatens to destroy a childhood friendship with emotional urgency. A captivating text, captivating actors and the simplest means of staging are enough to make the world of the characters tangible.
| Performance dates until the IKARUS award ceremony
Tue. 10.09., 18:00 | Theatre Strahl im Kulturhaus Schöneberg
Wed. 11.09., 11:00 | Theatre Strahl im Kulturhaus Schöneberg
| Credits |
Text: Nora Hoch | based on the novel "Wir holen uns die Nacht zurück" © 2022, dtv
Director: Masha Sapizhak
Set: Arina Slobodianik
Choreography and Theatre pedagogy: Florian Bilbao
Assistant director: Aybüke Kara
Players: Jana Heilmann, Leon Zawadi Kasili, Anne Sofie Schietzold
funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion in cooperation with Notdienst für Suchtmittelgefährdete und -abhängige Berlin e.V.
Video: Zeitgebilde Film Production
