2008/2009 Productions

Kontakt: 5-7 June 2008

Kontakt 2: 29 May - 6 June 2009

Developed & Directed by Phillip Mackenzie

A table.                                                                     
A single light bulb.
Two chairs.
A secret.
A confession.
An interrogation.
An invitation.
A series of unique encounters.
Do you dare to make Kontakt?

Kontakt was a radical new departure for the Youth Theatre and the research for the production was supported by a Creative Wales award.The performance event was inspired by the work of German Conceptualist, Hannah Herzig.

A few words from the director -

"Graz, Austria 2007. I am sitting at a card table lit by a single light bulb. In the same room are 50 similar tables, each lit by an overhanging light bulb, each occupied by a member of the public talking to an expert. Throughout the course of the evening people book a series of 30 minute one-to-one encounters with experts of their choice, sourced from the city where the event is being staged - Vienna, Berlin, Warsaw, Graz and Istanbul are all cities where this ‘Mobile Academy’ has taken place.

An idea occurred to me - what if the experts were young people? Sharing stories, asking questions, engaging in unusual dialogues with adults in a similar setting. From this simple idea, Kontakt was born.

Kontakt was initially created here at Sherman in June 2008. Kontakt 2 was the next stage of evolution for this project, performed by 60 young people in both English and Welsh, and featuring students from the Atrium. Since then the template has been adapted by Birmingham Rep and the Arcola Theatre, London."