Rimini Protokoll (Helgard Haug)

At first glance it seems impossible to make theatre with Tourette syndrome: Anything that is not compatible with Tourette’s has to be changed. But exactly these changes form a text at some point. Christian Hempel, Benjamin Jürgens and Bijan Kaffenberger, all of whom experience Tourette’s, appear on stage for the first time in “Chinchilla Arschloch, waswas”. Together they put theatre to the test: How much unintentionality can it sustain? And is the stage designed for the opposite – precision, repeatability, control?

Invited to the Theatertreffen 2020. Statement of the Jury:
Helgard Haug’s “Chinchilla Arschloch, waswas” only at first glance appears to be a fun show about people who have Tourette’s syndrome and live with tics – with uncontrollable words, sounds, movements. Because this research project featuring experts of the everyday also deals with the theatre itself, its limitations and capabilities. The dramatic text is created anew every day. Anything can happen, because Tourette’s is very difficult to control. To accommodate this, Haug and her protagonists have created specific spaces and situations for acting and given them a precise rhythm. But the show is also about the audience, who are triggered and scolded, who get hugs and presents. It’s about “breaking character”. About a utopian society where anything is possible and everyone is welcome.