Nowadays, death is pretty much excluded from daily life. Until only a few generations ago, however, death and dying as a natural process were highly visible throughout society, and ever-present at every stage of people’s biography: Young mothers could die in childbirth, out of a large flock of siblings, only some would grow up to be adults. Life expectancy was generally lower than it is today. Risky and physically demanding work, as well as malnutrition or disease took their toll.
Medical services could be scarce, especially in the remote countryside, and accidents could soon be fatal. Furthermore, custom dictated the presence of those who had passed away in the family home until the funeral. Therefore, dealing with loss and handling the deceased was therefore rather common.
But how can we introduce the theme of death to a modern audience, with modern sensibilities, by means of museum theatre? How literal, how drastic, or how abstract, does it have to be? Which performative means and methods are at our disposal? Together, we will explore various ideas and compare different approaches. The museum will be regularly opened to visitors, who may be included in feedback or audience activities.
Schedule
10.00 Arrival
10.15 Introductions, Setting the Theme (Angela Pfenninger, Chair of IMTAL Europe; Torsten Halsey, Head of Education and Museum Theatre at Hessenpark)
11.00 Participants improvise & try out scenes in 2-3 farmhouses, followed by other participants’ feedback.
12.30 Lunchbreak (own expense)
13.30 get together to put down insights of trial phase. Which approaches work/don’t/or would work elsewhere ?
14.00 combine useful ideas to put together one scene; allow the public to watch and comment
15.30 final get together, reflection, conclusions
16.00 end of training day
Practicallities
Hessenpark Entrance (9 €) for all participants. For IMTAL members, morning tea/coffee is included. Non-members are requested to donate an extra 5 € for tea/coffee.
Lunch can be brought in or bought at the museum restaurant at own expense.
Participation fee is payable on the day. Please note that IMTAL cannot reimburse travel or accommodation expenses.
The venue is Freilichtmuseum Hessenpark, Laubweg 5, 61267 Neu-Anspach, Germany, www.hessenpark.de
If you are joining us from further away and need to stay overnight, let us know. Perhaps an overnight stay in Hessenpark's guesthouse (which has limited capacity) may be possible. If this is requested by anyone, we will figure out conditions individually.
