Chinchilla Arschloch, waswas (Chinchilla Arsehole, eyey)

By Rimini Protokoll (Helgard Haug)

A production by Künstlerhaus Mousonturm (Frankfurt), Schauspiel Frankfurt and Rimini Apparat in co-production with Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) and HAU Hebbel am Ufer (Berlin)

World premiere 11 April 2019 (Frankfurt)

Chinchilla Arschloch, waswas. Barbara Morgenstern, Christian Hempel, Benjamin Jürgens © Robert Schittko

Helgard Haug approaches Tourette’s syndrome with humour and respect – a challenge to beloved certainties of the theatre like control, precision and repeatability.

TT 20 Epilogue

“Chinchilla asshole, whatwas” should be shown live from 12 to 14 January 2022, 19:30
at the Hans Otto Theatre in Potsdam. The performance on 13 and 14 January 2022 had to be cancelled due to illness.

ProgrammeBrochure for “Chinchilla Arschloch, waswas”

It is not uncommon for actors to break character onstage. But what if this happens unintentionally, when a tic breaks through? Three people who live with Tourette’s are onstage, investigating just how much unpredictability the theatre can stand. Helgard Haug has created a space with and for her protagonists that provides clearly defined acting situations as well as creative leeway, submitting conventions of the stage to a humorous scrutiny.

Statement of the Jury

Helgard Haug’s “Chinchilla Arsehole, eyey” only at first glance appears to be a fun show about people who have Tourette’s syndrome and live with tics – with uncontrollable words, sounds, movements. Because this research project featuring experts of the everyday also deals with the theatre itself, its limitations and capabilities. The dramatic text is created anew every day. Anything can happen, because Tourette’s is very difficult to control. To accommodate this, Haug and her protagonists have created specific spaces and situations for acting and given them a precise rhythm. But the show is also about the audience, who are triggered and scolded, who get hugs and presents. It’s about “breaking character”. About a utopian society where anything is possible and everyone is welcome.

Cast

Concept, Text & Direction Helgard Haug
Composition & Music Barbara Morgenstern
Stage Design Mascha Mazur
Video Marc Jungreithmeier
Lighting Design Johannes Richter
Dramaturgy Cornelius Puschke
Dramaturgy Künstlerhaus Mousonturm Anna Wagner
Sound Engineering Thorsten Löchl
Research, Artistic Assistance Meret Kiderlen
Lighting Design Adaption Berlin Sebastian Zamponi
Video Assistance Lukas Lenfert
Production Management Künstlerhaus Mousonturm Olivia Ebert
Production Management Rimini Protokoll / Touring Juliane Männel, Renée Merkel
Technical Director Berlin & Lighting Design (Touring) Patrick Tucholski
Sound Design (Touring) Torsten Schwarzbach
Video Design (Touring) Grit Schuster
Regie Assistance (Touring) Linn Günther

With
Christian Hempel, Benjamin Jürgens, Bijan Kaffenberger, Barbara Morgenstern, Stefan Schliephake

Funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of the alliance of international production houses, by the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain as part of the focus “Erzählung.Macht.Identität” and by the Adolf and Luisa Haeuser Foundation for Art and Cultural Care as part of the project series UNLIMITED II to promote exemplary positions of contemporary performing arts.Performing rights: schaefersphilippen Theater und Medien GbR
Music rights: Barbara Morgenstern © Maobeat Musikverlag / Budde Music Publishing GmbH