before we die

katze und krieg invite twenty people onto a bus. While the bus rolls through the pedestrian zone, katze und krieg brainstorm about wishes that should come true in their lifetime. As soon as the bus stops at a place, katze und krieg get out to write one of these wishes on the outside of the bus. Then they try to fulfill the wish directly and immediately. Random passers-by in the pedestrian zone are confronted with the performative actions resulting from the wishes. The words exchanged with the persons outside are transmitted to the bus via radio.

For example, during a performance in Erlangen, katharinajej would like fly high once again and persuades a group of passers-by to lift her up. After this wish has been symbolically fulfilled, just like Julia Dick’s wish, they walk on and brainstorm about a second wish. The bus rolls behind them until they stop at a second location downtown. There, it is Julia Dick’s wish to dance exuberantly once again. So she encourages passers-by and audience to dance together in front of the bus. Finally katze und krieg move on to the last station to fulfill a third wish each… Each performance is different, as each day implies different wishes and different encounters with people on the street. The performance is musically accompanied by a drummer and a guitarist, who find their place in the bus.

Music

Mario Salewski on drums, Timo Hagenroth on the guitar

Performances

On June 7/8/9/10/11/12, 2010 the performance took place in Braunschweig in the context of the Lokal Spezial of Theaterformen Braunschweig.
On June 16/17/18, 2010 the performance took place in Erlangen within the festival “ARENA…der jungen Künste”.
On August 9/10/11/12, 2011 the performance took place in Zurich, Switzerland, in the context of the festival “stromereien”.
On August 23/24/25, 2011, the performance took place in Bat Yam, Israel, as part of the C.A.T – Creative-Artistic-Theater-Festival.
On September 29/30, 2012 the performance took place in Losone, Switzerland, within the Performa Festival.
The video documentation of the performance was shown in 2012 at the screening “Video and Performance in Germany” at Galpon Espacio Cultural in Lima, Peru as well as at the Performancevoyage of MUU Gallery in Helsinki, Finland and other countries.

Awards

Winner of the audience award of the festival  “ARENA…der jungen Künste” Erlangen, 2010

Photos

“ARENA… of the Young Arts” Erlangen, Germany

Press

“Sehnsucht nach Sex, Heimat und Sinn” by Jasmin Siebert in Erlanger Zeitung 2010
“the hidden bus or before we die” fbl, Arena Spots 2010
“Ein VBZ-Bus als Zuschauerraum” by Miriam Oertli in VBZ Magazin September 2011
“bevor wir sterben von katze und krieg” eine unveröffentlichte Rezension by Anna Peschke, June 2010

Support

Stiftung Braunschweigischer Kulturbesitz, in Cooperation with BSVAG Braunschweig and the festival “ARENA… der jungen Künste” Erlangen