In 1984, six graduates of the drama programme at Exeter University formed the theatre company Forced Entertainment. Now based in Sheffield (where they have remained for most of their shared 30-year history), their goal was and continues to be nothing less than to redefine the boundaries of what performance is or can be. Led by artistic director Tim Etchells, they are among the most innovative and significant groups on the European theatrical landscape, setting new standards time and time again.
HAU Hebbel am Ufer is celebrating the 30 year anniversary of Forced Entertainment, showing not only the six-hour version of the performance classic Speak Bitterness from 1994, but also the current production The Notebook and a solo performance by Tim Etchells, A Broadcast/Looping Pieces. On the façade of HAU2, a new neon sculpture by Tim Etchells will be installed for the duration of the festival. In addition, Forced Entertainment is developing a rehearsed reading of the text That Night Follows Day together with children aged 8-14. Tim Etchells staged this very successful and internationally seen performance for the first time in 2007 in cooperation with the Belgian art centre CAMPO/Victoria, and is now bringing it to Berlin for the very first time.
In 2014, Forced Entertainment is celebrating 30 years of questions and collaboration, 30 years of inspiring audiences by making and remaking theatre to speak about the times we live in. In doing so, they have made lists, played games, spoken gibberish, stayed silent, made a mess, dressed up, stripped down, confessed to it all, performed magic tricks, told jokes, clowned around, played dead, got drunk, told stories and performed for six, twelve and even 24 hours at a stretch. As well as performance works, Forced Entertainment has made gallery installations, site-specific pieces, books, photographic collaborations, videos and even a mischievous guided bus tour.
Dates
- Past dates