Magic Fund

The Deutsches Theater Berlin and the Theater Basel have been working with youngsters in their cities on a performance about the relationship between magic and money. How does a piece of paper acquire value and then lose it again? What does money do when one deposits it into an account or purchases shares of stock? How can money simply disappear when a bank fails or a speculative bubble bursts?
This project illustrated the magical power of money as explained by a generation which has grown up knowing no alternative to globalized capitalism. The youngsters, aged 16 to 19, were the experts in this project. Their views and questions concerning how we deal with money and the recent turbulence in the financial world were central to the development of the piece. The perspectives of the young people from Basel, a supposedly affluent city, and those from “poor” Berlin complemented each other. Following an extensive research and rehearsal phase in Berlin and Basel, the results of the joint project were presented in both cities.

Artistic directors: Tobias Rausch, Birgit Lengers, Martin Frank (CH)
Artists: Eva Gruner, Jelka Plate, Matthias Herrmann, Tobias Graf, Ulrich Rausch, six youngsters from Basel (CH), six youngsters from Berlin

Venues and schedule:
Deutsches Theater Berlin (Box & Bar), 28 Apr. – 10 Jun. 2011, premieres 28 Apr. 2011
Theater Basel (Kleines Haus), 19 – 21 Jun. 2011, premieres in Basel on 19 Jun. 2011