Patrick Blenkarn & Milton Lim

asses.masses

Digital Art
Game

German subtitles / approx. 7.5h

Gaming as performance: A herd of unemployed donkeys tries to get their jobs back. Spectators take turns at the controller to lead the herd through a post-industrial society, where asses are mainly valued for their hides. Cheeky, political, and best described as “Animal Farm” meets “Pokemon” meets “Final Fantasy”, “asses.masses” puts the control(ler) in its audience’s hands and asks them to discover the space between the work that defines us and the play that frees us.

Cast

Co-direction, text, programming, pixel art, 2D animation: Patrick Blenkarn / Co-direction, text, sound design, video, shaders, 3D visual effects: Milton Lim / Dramaturgy, text, touring production: Laurel Green / Original music, sound design: David Mesiha / Pixel art, 2D animation, Portuguese translation: Clarissa Picolo / Pixel art, 2D animation: William Roth / 3D environments: Ariadne Sage / Additional programming: Samuel Reinhart / German translation: Birgit Schreyer Duarte

Dates

Current

Sat 26.10.2024, 14:00 / HAU3

Further Information

Visitor note

Duration: Approximately 7,5 hours, with 4 intermissions. Like binge-watching a series, missing sections of the show means that you will miss significant portions of the narrative. Latecomers are allowed but encouraged to get there on time or they will miss the introduction.

There will be breaks with food and drinks available for the length of the show. Food is included in the ticket price.

The story of “asses.masses” is told through visual text in German language, which is delivered on screen in dialogue boxes that are controlled by the players. There are no voice overs or actors performing the text aloud. “asses.masses” requires that players listen for audio cues, read text from the screen, and use their hand dexterity to operate a game controller. The pace of the game is directly controlled by the player and can change depending on the audiences; this includes how quickly players progress through the text.

All performances of “asses.masses” are ‘extra live’ or a relaxed environment, which means that audience members are free to make noises, move around a little more, use devices that help them participate, drink or snack, and just be a human in the space with other humans. The theatre is never completely dark except for one moment of blackout at the beginning of the show.

Credits

Production: Patrick Blenkarn, Milton Lim. Produced in association with: National Arts Centre of Canada’s National Creation Fund. Funded by: Creative BC, British Columbia Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts. Supported by: Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, The Theatre Centre, VIVO Media Arts, Embassy of Canada to Argentina and Paraguay.

Location

HAU3

Tempelhofer Ufer 10, 10963 Berlin

HAU3 unfortunately is not barrier-free. Access to the theatre is via a stairwell (3rd floor). The use of a lift is possible with prior arrangement. If you need help, please contact our Ticketing & Service team at +49 (0)30 259004-27 or email us at tickets@hebbel-am-ufer.de. Wheelchair users are also kindly requested to register their attendance at least one day before the performance.
Thank you for your understanding.

See all locations

HAU3000 / Positions, Projects, Publications

Radical Data: The Gratitude Machine

The Gratitude Machine is an AI who is learning how to be thankful.

“Es liegt an uns, was wir damit anstellen.” (German text)

Interview with Janne Kummer and Àlex Serrano.

“Small gestures become political.”

Ali Chahrour will present his dance performance “Iza Hawa” as part of the festival “Love is a Verb”. A conversation with HAU curator Petra Poelzl about politics, grief and love.

“An unprecedented form of togetherness”

A discussion with author Sophie Lewis, political scientist Eleonora Roldán Mendívil and philosopher Eva von Redecker.

“Whisperings”

A sound piece by Susan Stone and Esther Broner after a performance by Suzanne Lacy.

On a stage, there is a shadow of a figure in front of green and blue lighting wearing a hat with a bottle on their head.

Fiddler! A Musical

In an interview with Romm Lewkowicz, Ariel Ashbel talks about the genesis of “Fiddler! A Musical”, grief and unconditional compassion.

Festival magazine “¡PROTAGONISTAS! Resistance • Feminisms • Revolution”

With essays by LASTESIS and Dilar Dirik, video contributions by artists and activists, a portrait of Carolina Bianchi, a music playlist and illustrations by Sadhna Prasad.

The Jina Revolution

Azadeh Sharifi talks with Azadeh Ganjeh and members of the Woman* Life Freedom Collective Ozi Ozar and Anahita Safarnejad

Photograph of two clasped hands on top of each other. The middle joints of the fingers are tattooed. In Hebrew the word names and the series of numbers 5783

Three questions for Ariel Efraim Ashbel

On his new work “The Names / שמות”

Transforming gestures into dance

An interview with Nedjma Hadj Benchelabi and Shaymaa Shoukry

Towards a Non-Binary Theatre

By Caspar Weimann, translated by Josephinex Ashley Hansis

Spy on Me #4 – Online Magazine

With James Bridle, Christiane Kühl, Tactical Tech, dgtl fmnsm, onlinetheater.live, Nina Tecklenburg, Nadia Ross, Marion Siéfert a.o.

Enjoy Killjoy

An excerpt from “Symphony of Progress”, the new work of author and director Nicoleta Esinencu ...

The Fifth Wall

A text by Hito Steyerl.

The HAU Publishing Series

The complete overview of all publications by HAU since 2014 is now online …

“We didn't document things – we simply did them”

A conversation about experiments, freedom and solidarity – as well as the vital underground. With Elke Lixfeld, Alfred 23 Harth, Alexander Hacke and Andrea Neumann.

Namesless Experiments

Text by Patrick Hohlweck.

The Glowing Room

Text by Hendrik Otremba.

How does a joint plan succeed?

From the publication “Berlin bleibt! #3 – Werkstatt Mehringplatz”

Editorial by Stella Konstantinou, Volkan Türeli (HAU to connect) and Nadine Vollmer (freelance dramaturge).

“What's actually going on here?”

From the publication “Berlin bleibt! #3 – Werkstatt Mehringplatz”

On 5 May 2021, HAU invited some of the players to a round table to talk about the situation at Mehringplatz ...

What is the status of the immigrant community within local city politics?

From the publication “Berlin bleibt! #3 – Werkstatt Mehringplatz”

A text by Hülya K. Kilic, shop owner and activist.

Wer kann übersetzen? Eine politische Frage

Text by Paul B. Preciado

(German Text)

Spy on Me #3 – New Communities

Festival Magazine

With contributions by Jan Distelmeyer, Anna Fries, Ulla Heinrich (dgtl fmnsm), Christiane Kühl (doublelucky productions), Legacy Russell, Roman Senkl (minus.eins), Caspar Weimann (onlinetheater.live) and Lena Ziyal

In Search of Radical Mutations

An Essay of Author and Science Historian Edna Bonhomme on "Radical Mutations: On the Ruins of Rising Suns"

Fabifa's Tape Art for HAU

The making of the tape art picture by artist Fabifa as part of “Я выхожу! (I'm going out!)” – Berlin Meets Minsk

Die Revolutionshypothese

Text by Paul B. Preciado

(German text)

Alles muss sich ändern

by Paul B. Preciado

(German text)

Unacknowledged Loss II

A Project on Mourning and Loss by Barbara Raes & HAU Hebbel am Ufer

During the “Unacknowledged Loss II”, several materials like photos, texts and films were generated that we share now with the public as part of the programme of #HAUonline.

Burning Futures #5

Beyond The End Of The World?

In the new podcast edition of the series "Burning Futures", guests T.J. Demos as well as Anjalika Sagar and Kodwo Eshun (Otolith Group) discuss ...

The End As Interlude

Episode 3: Interlude / By Jota Mombaça

In the third episode, we accompany The Community member Khalil, who is moving further and further away from the usual earthly existence in space and time.

The End As Interlude

Episode 2: Energy Bending / By Jota Mombaça

In the second episode, protagonist Elsi tells of her journey through a dystopian Europe, queer solidarity, and a reunion that turns out differently as planned.

The End As Interlude

Episode 1: The Silent Earthquake

Based on world events in times of the Corona pandemic, Jota Mombaça conceives a diffuse future, one in which borders, escape and freedom of thought play a central role.

Falling Into Place

A note on “End Meeting for All”

By Tim Etchells

Between Hope and Hopelessness

An interview with Ligia Lewis

Between March 15 and 18, HAU originally planned to show “A Melancholic Melody / A Will To An End – A Series of Works by Ligia Lewis” ...

An Introduction to “Collectivize Facebook”

By Jonas Staal

“Collectivize Facebook” is a lawsuit aimed to turn Facebook into public property, initiated by artist Jonas Staal and lawyer Jan Fermon. Read here Staal’s introduction to the project.

When Cthulhu calls

A text by Thomas Ryckewaert

In his essay, Thomas Ryckewaert draws a connection between H.P. Lovecraft‘s creatures and the cool horror of the intelligent machine.

New Technologies, Old Discrimination

In their essay Frederike Kaltheuner and Nele Obermüller show the darker side of the utopia of cyber freedom ...

What is our relationship with alien consciousnesses?

As we build rivals to human intelligence, James Bridle looks at our relationship with the planet’s other alien consciousnesses.

“Manifestos for Queer Futures”

Video Documentation

As part of the festival “The Present Is Not Enough – Performing Queer Histories and Futures”, HAU initiated an open call for artists based in Berlin, who were invited to submit proposals for their Manifestos for Queer Futures.

KEEP IT REAL

The writer Luise Meier was commissioned by HAU Hebbel am Ufer to go along with their current film and poster campaign “KEEP IT REAL” ...

More HAU3000