Shieveh Theater Company

بچه / The Child / Das Kind

  • Theatre
With German and English surtitles /  Persian /  approx. 75 mins.

Three women are being interrogated at Europe’s high-security border. A Yazidi woman from Iraq who has fled the Islamic State; an Afghan woman who managed to escape her violent husband; and a Libyan woman whose life thus far has been defined by poverty, hunger and sexual assault. And then there is the newborn child. None of the three women admits to being its mother so that, even in the event of their deportation, the child will be allowed to remain in Europe. The exchanges between the official and those interrogated are heated, and all the while an interpreter tries to mediate. In “The Child” by Iranian director Afsaneh Mahian, all three women are played by the international award-winning actor Fatemeh Motamed-Arya. Her performance, played out on a track of sand laid out between the auditorium stands, is nothing if not spellbinding and asks some challenging questions: To what extent do immigrants retain the right to escape the predetermined fate of birthplace? Does the deportation of immigrants contribute to global insecurity? Do immigrants perpetually experience a sense of disconnection, rootlessness, and alienation? Can nationality fatefully confine individuals? Does the cycle of violence between immigrants and natives ever cease? Wasn't everyone, at some point, an immigrant?

Cast

Playwright: Naghmeh Samini / Direction: Afsaneh Mahian / Direction advice: Manouchehr Shoja / Performance: Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, Mehran Nael, Shiva Fallahi / Set, costume & Llghting design: Manouchehr Shoja / Assistant direction & international coordination: Gilnaz Yousefian / Stage management & technical assistance: Mahdi Safarzadehkhanili / Sound effects design: Mohammad Lorestani

Dates

Past
  • German premiere
    Sun 23.6.2024, 20:00 / HAU2
  • Mon 24.6.2024, 20:00 / HAU2
Notes:

After the performance on 24.6.: Artist Talk

Credits

Production: Afsaneh Mahian / Shieveh Theater Company.

Location

HAU2
Hallesches Ufer 34, 10963 Berlin

There are two marked parking spots in front of the building. Barrier-free restroom facilities are available. Four relaxed seats are available in the first row of HAU2. Tickets for wheelchair users and accompanying persons can also be booked via the ticketing system. If you need help, please contact our Ticketing & Service team at +49 (0)30 259004-27 or send us an email to
tickets@hebbel-am-ufer.de.

HAU3000 / Positions, Projects, Publications

The Glowing Room

Text by Hendrik Otremba.

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.

“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.