Alexander Karschnia, one-third of the free-scene collective Andcompany&Co, reveals what makes his theatre company tick.
Between their ensemble-based work and political idealism, Karschnia, Nicola Nord and Sasha Sulimma embody everything exciting and tedious about the Berlin free scene at once. Two of their productions will be part of the PAF: Orpheus in der Oberwelt: a “Schlepperopera” combining the Orpheus myth with commentary on the migrant crisis (photo); and 2045: Müller in Metropolis, a radio play about Heiner Müller and technology.
“Andcompany&co. is a collaborative platform. At the core there are three people, but we’re in constant search for co-creators. For example: I am an author, but in the context of Andco., I try to turn every participant into a co-author, regardless if they write a single line. We use own texts, found footage, sometimes also bits and pieces from other works. This guarantees that the work stays process-based. That’s the aesthetic aspect, but there’s also a political claim to it. We feel that artists have to take on their responsibility, not as representatives, but as a very visible and highly exposed part of civil society. Our mission: to expand public space. Fight privatisation on all levels. What we are dealing with is the epic struggle between democracy and racism. Make tragedy farce again!”
Orpheus in der Oberwelt Jun 15, 19:00 | 2045: Müller in Metropolis Jun 18, 19:00 | HAU1, Kreuzberg
