Piece by Gabriella Bußacker

Two young directors of the independent German theatre art who developed – one in the old federal states and the other in the GDR – consistently and unconventionally their own artistic versions of contemporary theatre and who now, seven years after reunification, look back at Germany.

Gabriella Bußacker of Hamburg and Jo Fabian of Berlin symbolise a concept of independent theatre creativity as an autonomous art form. They developed their productions, »De Utschl And – Kommune 97« and »Pax Germania« respectively, independently from each other during intensive production procedures in which they looked at Germany with their own specific East/West point of view.

»De Utschl And – strange land, land of silence and of tittle-tattle. Land of memorials and of wreath drop-zones, orations about coming to terms with an heinous past, pledges of blood brotherhoods, responsibility declarations, green verges chaperoning guidelines. Desolate land.

We still accept the offer. Abysmal terrain in which we start our excavations. In the quest for German revolutions, for dream-worlds buried by history, for disillusioned idealists, for forgotten enemies of state of the first, second and third generation we meet the non-dead, invite them for a meal, ask ourselves embarrassing questions« (Gabriella Bußacker).

Gabriella Bußacker, of 1955 vintage, studied sports and literature sciences. Since the end of the ‘70s she worked as a performer, director and author. Since 1984 she pursues her work as an independent producer in Hamburg and Frankfurt/Main and also works as a fine artist. Her production »Glücksbagatellen« (»Cameos of happiness«) could be seen during the 1995 euro-scene Leipzig.