GKW – EXTASE

EXTASE is the staged endeavour to rehabilitate and dissect a state of pleasurable emotion that is often met with negative sentiment – in a western, Christian society. This inspiring evening of theatre is additionally a glorious opportunity to go in artistic search of a (long forgotten) ecstasy; the exorbitance and sensuality of the moment. We shall explore ecstasy through a psalm-like, discursive text and a musical experience: working with musicians and singers, while additionally using the scores of the Russian composer Alexander Skriabin, and investigating the reasons why a conspicuous number of conductors die on stage. Our stage, inspired by the layout of an orchestra, is transformed into a wild laboratory for exploring the (un)reason of the moment.

GKW is a free collective based in Basel and Berlin. In addition to their own individual projects in local theatre, off-theatre and fine arts, they produce work between metaphysics and poetic science fiction, dealing with the subjects of disappearance, humanity and the prospective past. Apart from Moïra Gilliéron, Ariane Koch and Zino Wey, a loose pool of artist participates in the group.

A production by GKW in co-production with Ballhaus Ost Berlin, Kaserne Basel and TOJO Theater Reitschule Bern. In fall 2018 there will be a guest performance at Theater Winkelwiese Zurich.

Funded by Fachausschuss Tanz & Theater BS/BL, Berliner Senatsverwaltung für Europa und Kultur, Pro Helvetia – Schweizer Kulturstiftung, Fondation Nestlé pour l’art, Wilhelm und Ida Hertner-Strasser Stiftung, Société Suisse des Auteurs, Ruth und Paul Wallach Stiftung and further sponsors.