schwelle 7
 
 
 
 
 
UNITED KINGDOM 2008
a concept by
 Felix Ruckert
 
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON „ UK “ PLEASE CONTACT US...!
EINE PARALELLWELT A PARALELL WORLD 4. - 6. JULI 2008 GANZTÄGIG (FR 18:00 - SO 24:00) JULY, 4TH TO 6TH, 2008 ALL DAY EVENT ( FRI 6pm - Sun 12pm) Das KÖNIGREICH IST EINE PERMANENTE PERFORMANCE / INSTALLATION DIE VON FR-SO JEDERZEIT BESUCHT WERDEN KANN. (tageskarte: 20 EURO Im Kostüm:15 Euros) THE KINGDOM IS A PERMANENT PERFORMANCE / INSTALLATION THAT CAN BE VISITED ANYTIME FROM FRI TO SUN. ( day ticket: 20 / in costume: 15 Euros) TEL: +49 (0)30 - 47363500 MAIL: INFO (A) FELIXRUCKERT.DE BILDER / PICTURES 2008 ( von/ by Melanie Derouetteau) BILDER / PICTURES 2006 ( von / by phillipp Wittulsky) MAN SCHLEICHT SICH AN. (Erfahrungsbericht von Paul Hasler, 2006) Aufnahme in den Inneren Kreis / introduction to The the Inner circle ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Das Königreich ist eine rätselhafte Welt, ein Universum voller seltsamer Bewohner, ein Second Life aus Fleisch und Blut, das sich anfassen, riechen und schmecken lässt. Mal Traum, mal Albtraum. Eine rätselhafte Königin regiert über ein kleines, aber buntes Volk. Oder ist sie ein König? Den Hofstaat leitet ein Zeremonienmeister, ein Narr sorgt für Chaos und Kurzweil, Wachen schaffen Überblick. Hexen und Magier vollziehen seltsame Zeremonien. Die Bewohner sind freundlich und verspielt, ständig verändern sie Aussehen und Gebaren. Mittendrin bewegen sich Gäste aus einer anderen Welt. Auch sie können sich mit Kostümen und Requisiten ausstatten, eigene Figuren entwickeln. Mit etwas Glück werden sie dem Herrscher vorgestellt, können an den Ritualen des INNEREN KREISES teilnehmen. Es gibt Regeln und Codes die beachtet werden müssen, ein Protokoll bestimmt die Abläufe. Begünstigungen werden zugestanden und wieder entzogen. Posten werden umbesetzt, Aufgaben neu verteilt. Hin und wieder kommt es zu Aufständen. Herrscher müssen abdanken oder werden gestürzt, der Thron wird vererbt oder durch Intrigen erobert. Tyrannen kommen an die Macht, Republiken werden ausgerufen. Es gibt Schlaf- und Ruheräume, eine Bibliothek und eine Küche. Manche Gäste bleiben nur für ein paar Stunden, andere beantragen Asyl und hoffen auf eine Daueraufenthaltsgenehmigung. Manche lassen sich einbürgern und bleiben für immer... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Kingdom is a mysterious world. A universe full of funny inhabitants, a Second Life made of flesh and blood, one you can touch, smell and taste. A dream? A nightmare? A mysterious Queen reigns over a small but colorful population. Or is she a King? The Court is run by a Master of Ceremony, a fool creates chaos and grace, guards watch over everything. Witches and Magicians perform strange ceremonies. The inhabitants are friendly and playful, they permanently change looks and behaviour. In the midst of this guests from another world roam. They can equip themselves with costumes and props and develop their own characters. If they are lucky they get introduced to the sovereign and are allowed to take part in the rituals of the INNER CIRCLE. There are rules and codes to keep in mind, a precise protocol regulates the proceedings. Favors are given and taken away. Positions are assigned, tasks appointed.Sometimes there are insurgencies, emperors are overthrown or have to resign, the throne is handed down or overtaken by intrigue. Tyrants come to power or republics are declared. There are dormitories and spaces for rest, a library and a kitchen. Some guests stay for a few hours, others ask for asylum and hope for a stay permit. Some naturalize and stay forever..... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interview Interview with Felix Ruckert about United Kingdom Berlin 2006 by Christos Polymenakos Your current production United Kingdom Berlin is  an utopic society based on consensual hierarchy? What exactly does this utopia consist of and why should participants consent to this experience? United Kingdom is an utopian society that allows its members to explore different degrees of dominance and submission in the frame work of a fictional kingdom. The central mission of the kingdom is the elaboration of play structures that allow the authentic experience of emotions such as fear, pain, anger, aggression, sadness and weakness but also trust, strength, kindness, pleasure, connection and devotion. Play structures may include Choreography, Scenario, Role Play, Ritual and Drama. Some of these are meant for public presentation, some not. Some choose a specific audience, some are presented only to individuals. The underlying idea of the project is that often seemingly democratic groups claiming equality of its members are nevertheless structured by hidden hierarchy. Our personal relationships as well are often marked by more or less conscious power games. The United Kingdom openly performs and exposes systems of order and obedience by means of pre-negotiated roles, and therefore allows the conscious experience of power relations in a safe and supportive environment. This setting encourages the acting out of individual desires, fantasies and fears in a half private/half public environment and allows to approach such issues as aggression, violence, repression and manipulation, the influence of patriarchal structures, childhood traumas, desires for sexual dominance or submission, and other highly emotionally charged subjects. This material is transformed into theatrical scenes and performance art. The audience can choose to which degree they want to get close to this process, or even decide to become part of the process itself. How can strict rules provide freedom and which is the fragility? Freedom is choice.  You choose to play this game. Deciding to explore your emotional landscape is an act of courage. Committing to respect rules is a manifestation of free will.  Any game with clear rules ( from  football to monopoly to hide-and-seek ) triggers and engages real emotion. Rules are needed for challenge.  In UK we make sure people never forget that they play a game, sometimes even encouraging them to break the rules. Playing with archetypes as in UK is psychologically extremely interesting. It creates emotional fragility and sometimes permeability, and therefore presence. Playing with power and the exchange of power is an excellent tool for amateurs to become players, as everyone can easily draw from his/her real life experience. What are you looking for when staging the results of your research? Life is a stage.  I try to make that more obvious. The authenticity and creativity of non-professionals in an interactive setting such as UK is enchanting and can hardly  be matched by the skills of pattern-spoiled professionals. Helping people to excel in  new roles within UK, also changes the roles they play in the outside world. Do you find your work to be political? Would that be one of your goals or a side effect? Blurring borders between life and art is political. In UK we are not just organizing a performance, we also run a complete little community including a school, a kitchen, a dormitory, a bar and a dungeon. Experiencing both dominance and submission in such a miniature society is  extremely enlightening. Setting up a patriarchical system like the kingdom and consciously playing with the dynamics of power reveals our own dependance on and our psychological involvement with these structures.  Being the king one day and the fool the next is a mind blowing experience.  We start to understand how politics works. Why do you use extreme sexual practises as a source of inspiration and immediate experience in dance events? It is true that BDSM is about chains, whips and blood. Few know that it is also about trust, communication and sensitivity.  About sensuality and deep connection. About primal emotion and states of altered consciousness. The BDSM experience is a place where play, therapy, sexuality and art intertwine. It is a sophisticated game for intelligent people. It involves the whole individual, on an emotional, physical and spiritual level. It is body, mind and soul coming together.  It needs technique, discipline, intuition and creativity. There is a lot of parallels with Dance. UKPICS2008.htmlUNITEDKINGDOMPICS.htmlTEXTPAUL.htmlUKInnerCircle.htmlshapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1shapeimage_4_link_2shapeimage_4_link_3
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