INTRO
WOANDERS began with a book. Marion Brasch's novel “Ab jetzt ist Ruhe” led Masha Qrella to the poems of Thomas Brasch, and in December 2019 the songs she made from them premiered at HAU2 (Hebbel am Ufer) in Berlin as a staged concert.
Thomas Brasch was an East German poet, screenwriter and filmmaker who left the GDR in 1976; his sister's autobiographical novel of 2012 tells their family's story between East and West. Qrella set 17 of his poems to music, released as the album Woanders on Staatsakt (taz). At HAU the song cycle, about displacement, connection and identity, ran from 4 to 7 December (HAU).
Highlights
Scenography reaching into the foyer
Poems of Thomas Brasch set to music
A large ensemble with guest artists
THE ENSEMBLE
On stage Qrella played with Andreas Bonkowski and Chris Imler, joined by guests Andreas Spechtl, Tarwater, Dirk von Lowtzow (Tocotronic) and Marion Brasch herself. Diana Näcke developed the video concept, Emma Cattell stage and costume, Max Wegner technical direction and light, and Tadklimp the sound design.
The production travelled on to WUK in Vienna on 1–2 October 2021, after a date planned for March 2020 had been cancelled because of COVID.
Around the live ensemble, XENORAMA spread “moving images and immersive soundscapes” across the whole building: contextual stage mapping and animations, surround sound design, and a multi-channel audiovisual installation in the foyer, where the premiere took place (Xenorama).
