Theatre
has always been a storytelling platform that reflects on social references while representing a perspective and attitude.
In order to engage its audience in the story, theatre has constantly absorbed the latest techniques (from light to sound to video) and has so told of real-life experience in real time.
In the age of digital shift, theatre is facing new opportunities in communicating and interacting with the audience through technologies. In particular, because today’s present is becoming more and more a synthesis of reality and virtual. Immersive technologies are creating new experiences for users with augmented or enhanced environments, they are transforming how we access and interact with digital information.
Therefore the project envisages a close corporation with Namibian, German, Zimbabwean and Cameroonian creatives in the archiving of impact literate communities in collaboration with Namibia’s Ministry Of Education Art and Culture as well as in the development of the use of immersive technologies within the context of performing arts.
The artistic result will illustrate a cross-disciplinary perspective, allowing a corporation of manifold analytical practice as well as artistic experiences in the framework of what the applicant names “New Media Anthropological Diplomacy”.
Background
Starting point is the folk tale, “Human Bones”, which deals with the story of Leana, a young and vibrant Namibian single Mother who collects dry animal bones to exchange with a German Shopkeeper for money to buy food for her Children. One day Leana finds a pile of bones that she happily collects and takes to the shopkeeper, not knowing that these bones were bones of a Warrior who died during a Nama-Herero Battle.
After selling these bones, the Nama warrior appears to Leana in a dream and asks, “is this the time when a man sells the bones of another man”. She wakes up in a desperate attempt to restore the dignity of the Nama Warrior. However, the German shop owner refuses to return the bones.
This Namibian folk tale, “Human bones” becomes a perfect participatory tool in order to playfully engage the audience who are welcome to indulge in an impact literate realm that integrates knowing and being in a performative way. This realm is also referred to as “body-space”!
Artistic Concept
The project is based on the use of diverse art forms, such as still images and motion projections, dance, acting, musical and vocal elements. The artistic team combines individuals who are normally separated by language and distance to facilitate cultural exchange whilst developing peer to peer impact literacy.
The storytelling process is interactively informative by using different languages within the performance (Nama, Shona, Bamilike/Basa, German and English). The multilingual creative approach cultivates a cross-sectional viewpoint and multiple engagement devices that break the common limitations of communication.
The approach of interactive storytelling creates worlds in which the audience cognitively discovers their own stories. This shifts classic storytelling to story-world-building, from a linear, time-based face, to a non-linear spatial narrative world. The spectator becomes an engaging co-creator of the story. Traditional dramaturgical plots are redefined and created through interactive narrative schemes and forms.
BONES RISING
is realised throughout 2021 with the support of the International Coproduction Fund of the Goethe-Institut.
© 2021 VM BORN STARS PRODUCTIONS CC Windhoek, urban dialogues Berlin, Arch Indigo Group Harare, Avant Scene Yaoundé and Goethe-Institut
