Finsternis

In May 1978, the Otrag 2 takes off from a launch platform in South East Congo. The rocket is the linchpin of a coup of African space travel planned by a German company that administrates the testing ground like a colonial power. However, 30 metres into the air the big dream is history. Or is it?

In the new work of Philine Rinnert, Gerhild Steinbuch and Sebastian Straub, competition for who gets to rule over the story mingles with its actual base elements, discovery and conquer. Who will be allowed to decide to which corners of space we will go? And who rules over whom here? The game proceeds to become a journey into the dark hearts of the performers exploring its own blind spots – and probably retelling their story in a new way.

Freundliche Mitte was established in 2011 by set designer Philine Rinnert, actor Sebastian Straub and writer Gerhild Steinbuch. A collective including play, space and text, the three of them deliberately circumvent the authority of a director. Mutual works include Most Beautiful Is What Is Already Gone (steirischer herbst, Graz, 2011) and Previously On (Garage X, Vienna, 2014).