Bühnenbild Friederike Meese

The project AJIMA began when Marc approached Maija, a physically disabled performer, to collaborate in staging a freak show. Early on in the rehearsal process it became clear, however, that Maija’s life and abilities do not differ so radically from those of others. Instead, a much more intriguing question was unleashed: what is at stake in the process when we more or less carelessly make assumptions and cast projections on each other (and indeed on ourselves) based on our physical appearance or our assumed identity? An unusually different body in the theatrical space, manipulated by the director-performer relationship and self-exhibited under the voyeuristic gaze of the audience, makes this social reflex system more apparent. In AJIMA, our desires to see somebody being or doing something – including the resulting undertones of our roles and interactions – are being constantly re-negotiated. The AJIMA-experience already takes you in before entering the theatre, when audience members are asked to lend random pieces of their belongings to the performer – which later turn out to be crucial on stage… (M. P. Gabriel)



PERFORMANCE / CO-CREATION Maija Karhunen
CONCEPT / LIGHTS / VIDEO / DIRECTED by Marc Philipp Gabriel
STAGE / COSTUMES Friederike Meese

Info und Trailer: http://marcphilippgabriel.com/wordpress/ajima/

Review: Blog Festival Grenzenlos-Kultur

Aufführungen:
30.09., 01.10.2021: Staatstheater Mainz, Festival Grenzenlos-Kultur
Fernsehbeitrag SWR

01., 02. Februar 2019: Sophiensaele, Berlin