Verein zur Aufhebung des Notwendigen – a hundred wars to world peace
Verein zur Aufhebung des Notwendigen is a dinner and it is about democracy. Not democracy as institutional engineering for mass organisation, but democracy as something we internalize, as individuals, at the level of our day to day existence. It is about democracy as the realisation of our individual and collective desires.
A meal brings people together, it is warm and convivial. Yet, food is also home to our most intimate convictions: existential, ethical, aesthetic, economic, social, ritual or religious. In other words, dinner is the perfect set for a political showdown. The kitchen will be our theatre of operations.
For the duration of the performance, and in many ways, all those present in a theatre hall form a community. In our case, this temporary community is given the untranslatable name Verein zur Aufhebung des Notwendigen, the club, or association for the abolishment, or lifting, or conservation, but also transcendence of the necessary, of the indispensable.
Each individual member will hold the destiny of the whole community in his hands. It is a shared responsibility. But spectators often disagree, they like different things and are ready to defend them. This performance is not about consensus.
It is sometimes said that we are what we eat. In this theatre piece, we will eat what we are and nobody really knows what that will taste like.
Luca Mattei
Luca Mattei
Luca Mattei
Luca Mattei
Luca Mattei
Luca Mattei
Luca Mattei
Credits
Concept & direction: Christophe Meierhans
Inspired by an original idea by: Verein zur Aufhebung des Notwendigen e.V, with thanks to R. Komarnicki
Dramaturgy: Bart Capelle
Scenography & co-thinking: Holger Lindmüller, Michael Carstens
Production: Hiros
Coproduction: Kaaitheater, Vooruit, BIT Teatergarasjen, BUDA, Nouveau Théâtre de Montreuil, Vaba Lava
With the support of: The Flemish Government, Kunstenwerkplaats Pianofabriek
A House On Fire Project, with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union.
This performance includes an evening meal.
Please don’t eat before the show. Come hungry.