THE LAB - Anne Welenc

In the organizer's words:

Are we the "protagonists" of our own lives or just supporting characters in larger narratives? How do the stories we tell and the roles we embody shape our understanding of agency, power and collaboration?

As part of a week-long LAB, Anne Welenc and Michel Wagenschütz will explore this question both thematically and formally, concluding with a double feature of new material. Based on the experience of previous collaborations, they will rethink their artistic roles by guiding each other across the stage and dissolving traditional hierarchies. Anne will focus on female "minor characters" such as Minna, Berta or Gretchen and their meaning and substance in her investigation of classical dramatic works. Meanwhile, inspired by his project "He's Got It", Michel will explore creation myths and genius narratives in musical theater in terms of professionalization, social aspirations and personal vulnerability.

The work of director and playwright Anne Welenc is based on critical feminist research. With an interdisciplinary approach, she combines classical theater with elements of dance, pop and club culture. Her plays, including QUEENS and Gargoyles, explore themes such as gender, power and social narratives and offer new perspectives on historical and literary figures.

Michel Wagenschütz, visual artist and filmmaker, studied contemporary art and photography at the Berlin University of the Arts and performance at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His work operates at the interfaces of image design, space and performative strategies and deals with social realities and their contradictions.

---
THE LAB is the artist and audience development series of the English Theatre Berlin | International Performing Arts Center. Founded by Daniel Brunet in 2003, it has been reliably offering Berlin-based artists the opportunity to share their work in progress with the audience and receive feedback in the form of a post-performance discussion for over 20 years.