International Transdisiplinairy Creation
FLAUSEN+
ABOUT FLAUSEN+
The essence of contemporary German practice is so different from our own. A professional production in a major theatre does not look or feel remotely like a Canadian main stage production. In already provocative theatre culture, Germany’s Freie Theatre’s have taken a leading role in the push for fostering artistic vibrancy, public engagement, and the development of future innovators.
The flausen+ bundesnetzwerk & theatre wrede+ have been at the for-front of this revolution with the flausen+ residenz, a transdisciplinary innovation incubator platform, supported by a network of over 30 German and EU companies dedicated to developing new ideas, forms, and facilitate new voice. Sparking innovation in form across disciplines, flausen has developed artistic and administrative practices to facilitate this risk and process-based approaches.
2021 | INTERNATIONAL CATALYST INCUBATOR
Bouche Theatre Collective, Teatro I.Dra, flausen+ bundesnetzwerk, & theatre wrede+
flausen+ international catalyst
Conceived of by Davide D’Antonio, Jack Paterson & Winfried Wrede
flausen+ festival & Tor 6 (Bielefeld, Germany)
“… truly perspective altering..I learned about artistic processes that are dynamically different than a Canadian method of theatre. It’s enriched my practice deeply…” – Makram Ayache
“This experience has inspired me and challenged the ways I approach my practice. I cannot express enough how thankful I was to be part of this…” – Vanka Salim
“…a vital conversations about how art gets made and how processes can better serve artists and communities alike…” – Deneh’Cho Thompson
The flausen+ process is a multi-step creation process that “Starts from Zero” and continues until final performance. Led by the artistic ensemble through democratic decision making, the aesthetic, form, and content, are defined by the artists, their disciplines, lived experiences, and perspectives.
I gathered a team from across three provinces: Vanka Chaitra Salim – Media & Installation, BC), Makram Ayache – actor & playwright (Al), & Deneh’Cho Thompson – Traditional dramaturgies (Sask). All who had not worked with each other previously. For one week, our team worked with the flausen+ and Teatro I.Dra curated teams in the flausen+ creation process. Artists’ nationalities of origin include China, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Mexico, & Taiwan. Artists specialties include graphic design and new media, installation, contemporary dance, community and applied creation, new text and physical creation,
A special project at the festival, everyone was excited about the outcome. We were invited to return for a greater project and are currently seeking funding.
Gallery
Meet the Canada flausen+ Team
MAKRAM AYACHE
Makram Ayache (he/him) is a community-engaged writer, actor, director, and producer. His playwriting explores meaningful representations of queer Arab voices. He bridges complex & interlocking political struggles to the intimate and real experiences of the people impacted by them. Ayache is the 2020 recipient of the Playwrights’ Guide of Canada’s annual Tom Hendry Award for his play Harun. He has also been nominated for four Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards. www.makramayache.com
DENEH'CHO THOMPSON
Deneh’Cho Thompson (he/him) is a director, actor and playwright and member of the Pehdzeh ki Nation. As Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan he oversees the wîcêhtowin Theatre Program, one of few Indigenous programs in a Canadian university. Deneh’Cho’s research focuses on the development, naming, and centring of Indigenous pedagogies; new play development, in various roles, and Indigenous collaborations while centering the values of reciprocity, respect and reflexivity. Deneh’Cho is also engaged in the (re)storying of personal family archives focusing on healing, resilience, and Indigenous storywork as a pathway towards the creation of new works of theatre.
VANKA CHAITRA SALIM
Vanka Chaitra Salim (she/her) is a Muslim Indonesian-Canadian Set, Lighting and Projection designer, theatre technician and scenic painter based in the Unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh-ulh Temíx̱w (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories, colonially known as Vancouver, BC. She enjoys experimenting with different mediums of storytelling that revolve around the interaction and interplay of art, culture and technology. Apart from her involvement in the theatre community, Vanka also works as an acrylic paint-maker at Kroma Artist’s Acrylics and is part of Srikandi Indonesia Dance Group. She also loves gaming, game art & design, dance, videography, illustration and learning XR technologies, and has recently been experimenting with immersive experiences. She is grateful and beyond excited to have the opportunity to learn, collaborate and experiment with the rest of the team at Flausen+ Festival. www.vankasalim.com
JACK PATERSON
Jack (he/him) is a Vancouver launched devisor, director, dramaturg, translator, and theatre maker. Projects have ranged from contemporary devising, cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary and multi-lingual events to main stage and classical theatre in contemporary form across Canada, UK, Europe and Indonesia. He is the co-founder of Bouche Theatre Collective (Vancouver) and Global Hive Labs., a network of international independent artists working together in shared practice.
2016-2019 | Professional Development & Research
2016/17
On learning of the flausen+ Network’s success facilitating innovative new form, I sought an introduction to the flausen+ platform creator Winfried Wrede. I traveled to Germany to meet with him and learn more. Over 2016 / 17, I would travel to Germany repeatedly to attend the flausen+ kongress, and flausen+ Residency “Making of” presentations.
2019
With the support of a Canada Council grant, over six months, I observed practice at Theatre Wrede+ (Oldenburg), theater im ballsaal (Bonn), Freies Werkstatt Theater (Köln), Theater neben dem Turm (Marburg), Theaterlabor (Bielefeld) and the International Flausen+ Co-Production FLAUSEN EUROPA with Residenza I.DRA (Brescia, Italy).
Jack Paterson speaking at flausen+ kongress (Werkstatt Theater, Koln)
I attended The Life on Mars International Theatre conference (Milan, IT), and the flausen+ kongress (Koln, DE) – gathering points for independent companies from across the EU – and attended workshops, forums and other events.
This was a wonderful opportunity to meet and engage with the flausen+ residency artists, mentors, dramaturgs, and the production / administrative teams of the companies supporting flausen+. Focused time was spent with flausen+ founder Winifried Wrede at Theatre Wrede+ (Oldenburg. DE), and other flausen+ artistic leadership.
About our International Partners
RESIDENZA I.DRA (Italy)
Based in Brescia (Italy), Residenza IDra is a multidisciplinary independent development and producing centre, Our desire to be adequate to our times, in search of new forms of representation through integration and collaboration. In addition to development residencies, IDra produces The Wonderland Festival (Mibact and the Lombardy Region), Città Dolci Touring Circuit, NdN (New dramaturgy Network), CURA Project and AL Petroni Award. IDRA actively participates in various networks including CRESCO, ETRE and IETM. www.residenzaidra.it
FLAUSEN+ NETWORK & FESTIVAL (Germany)
A network of 29 theatres across Germany, flausen+ awards 9 residencies per year, in 5 German states hosted by 8 theaters. In addition to producing, hosting and artistic support of the residencies, flausen+ Network members provide administrative support.
Ensemble projects developed through the flausen+ Residencies are further supported by the network with additional research periods, 2 co-productions with flausen+ network theatres per year, the network touring model (NATIONALE PERFORMANCE NETZ) and are showcased at The flausen+ Festival (Bielefeld) and the flausen+ bundeskongress (Koln).
We gratefully acknowledge the support of
