Tauschgeschäft [Trading]. A Spectacle from the Krupp Cosmos

May 19th 2011, 7:30 p.m. 

Premiere 

Stadttheater Berndorf 

„Something is happening here and we don’t know what it is“
(freely attributed to Bob Dylan)

Zobl & Schneider and The Nomadic Producers who accompanied this production, (Gründler/Hauswirth/Lehofer) present a spectacular review with acting, images and music. The themes of the evening are the everyday work world of work in the industrial sector, the historical sensation the creation of the Krupp cosmos represented and the permanent crisis of capitalism. The site and stage of Tauschgeschäft is the famous Stadttheater Berndorf, which in its day was opened as the “First Austrian Worker’s Theater” with Emperor Franz Joseph in attendance. Images of workers and workplaces, video scenes, sounds from the production halls and live music bring the original purpose of this architecturally and culturally important theater back to life. 

The performers work together as they follow the insights and results of the two-year art project, COMPANY. Arbeiten in Berndorf (COMPANY. Working in Berndorf), by Zobl and Schneider. They dive deep into and through the Krupp myth and also trace the work of those who came afterwards while taking their work on the subject of “work” one step further. Workers, employees, managers, researchers and artists make surprising contributions to the spectacle on the stage. 

The review challenges us to reflect on the status quo. It stages the balance and forces of different interests as they act on the work place, ending as a sensual experience: a Tauschgeschäft, or “Trade” between the industrial working world, the artistic field, the historical heritage and between us, the participants and the audience.