FESTIVAL PROGRAMM
Wednesday 21.06.
18:00
Experimentiertheater
The world today is one of constant background noise: a podcast, a discussion is on at all times; one Tik-Tok video is chasing the next. It doesn't matter how quiet it is – it's never truly silent – because our minds won't stop rattling and rumbling along. In »Rauschen« the collective »fau« is searching for the off-switch. They are trying to escape the chaos of everyday life, and instead listen to what silence sounds like, feel what it means to break through the static. But is this attempt even possible?
Melanie Klos, Paul Schliermann and Jakob Grundherr have been studying theatre and media studies at the University of Bayreuth since 2019. Their atmospheric work focuses on experiments mapping the interaction of sound, light, video and performance.
20:00
Festival Centre
For the musical kick-off of the ARENA week with the guys from Compadre, we invite you to our festival centre! The trio Roy, Max and Sassan play a varied mix of rock, blues and alternative.
Thursday 22.06.
11:00
Clubbühne E-Werk
»all the moves we make in the dark« is about security and resistance, about working in and at the theatre - and the disasters that spotlights can cause. Together, the performers embark on the trials and tribulations of a stereotypical male field of work and shed light on the lack of visibility of non cis-male technicians in the theatre.
14:30
Festival Centre
Ein Gespräch ohne Worte unter Fremden, eine Forschungsreise an die Grenzen von Bewegung, ein Abenteuer außerhalb der Komfortzone, eine Begegnung von Tanz und Emotion, Vertrauen und Verantwortung, Kraft und Schwerelosigkeit. Offen für alle Levels, ob Anfänger*innen oder Fortgeschrittene.
18:00
Festival Centre
A world is built from the plant-based gelling agent agar-agar and immediately gets destroyed again. The solo performance »Tok Tokk Aggar« encompasses the moment of its artistic installation and creation as well as its destruction by the performing artist. She is like a part of the artificially appearing world, does not speak a clear language, seems alien and thus manifests the chaos in and around us.
19:00
Wörner
Just put a few coins in and a Diskoschorle (disco spritzer) comes out! The »Diskoschorleautomat« can be found on three days in two different places in Erlangen und offers four variations of Sekt-Mate (bubbly Mate). But what truly takes place inside the machine is only revealed over time. So it pays off to visit briefly each evening and to watch how the vending machine behaves. The big finale occurs on Saturday evening in our festival centre.
20:00
Clubbühne E-Werk
»all the moves we make in the dark« is about security and resistance, about working in and at the theatre - and the disasters that spotlights can cause. Together, the performers embark on the trials and tribulations of a stereotypical male field of work and shed light on the lack of visibility of non cis-male technicians in the theatre.
21:00
Festival Centre
Die Filmemacherin Sarvnaz Alambeigi hat in Teheran seltene Filmaufnahmen des damaligen Nationalballetts entdeckt. Als sie den jungen Tänzer*innen diese Aufnahmen zeigt und deren Begeisterung miterlebt, entsteht die Idee, die alte und die neue Generation iranischer Tänzer*innen zusammenzubringen.
Friday 23.06.
11:00
Experimentiertheater
The world today is one of constant background noise: a podcast, a discussion is on at all times; one Tik-Tok video is chasing the next. It doesn't matter how quiet it is – it's never truly silent – because our minds won't stop rattling and rumbling along. In »Rauschen« the collective »fau« is searching for the off-switch. They are trying to escape the chaos of everyday life, and instead listen to what silence sounds like, feel what it means to break through the static. But is this attempt even possible?
Melanie Klos, Paul Schliermann and Jakob Grundherr have been studying theatre and media studies at the University of Bayreuth since 2019. Their atmospheric work focuses on experiments mapping the interaction of sound, light, video and performance.
13:00
Festival Centre
Building on the performance »Tok Tokk Aggar« shown at the festival, performative actions are defined and contextualised with thickened and coloured water. In this artistic practice, we question our surroundings about the reason for our movement. What prompts our urge to act? This inherent drive is to be observed and made visible.
In the course of the workshop there will be contact with water and washable food colouring.
15:30
CVJM Erlangen
The dance performance »A break from CHAOS - A MOVEMENT Performance« is an artistic reflective representation of a reality entrenched in chaos. Born into a social order determined by social and political conventions, Ehab Suwwan tries to come to terms with this reality. He is determined to pause the chaos, overcome powerlessness and briefly regain control through MOVEMENT.
17:00
Festival Centre
Belén Nicole Otto Ruiz and Hannes Hochmuth aka Dachs will present their works in an exhibition curated especially for the ARENA Festival. On Friday there will be a talk with the artists at 5 pm in the festival centre.
19:00
Wörner
Just put a few coins in and a Diskoschorle (disco spritzer) comes out! The »Diskoschorleautomat« can be found on three days in two different places in Erlangen und offers four variations of Sekt-Mate (bubbly Mate). But what truly takes place inside the machine is only revealed over time. So it pays off to visit briefly each evening and to watch how the vending machine behaves. The big finale occurs on Saturday evening in our festival centre.
19:30
Gemeindehaus Erlangen-Altstadt
In her expressive dance and body performance »Обiйми: Hold me, hold me, hold« Alina Belyagina depicts the idea of fragility and its metaphorical image through a correlation of body, voice, and movement. Produced during the war in Ukraine, the performance addresses this fragility and its monstrosity and asks the audience provocative questions.
22:00
Festivalzentrum Altstadtmarktpassage
»SECRET SPACES IN THE BODY« consists of two parts with a smooth transition.
»Das Geheimnis Versteht Es, Sich Hinter Die Horizontlinie Zurückzuziehen« works with the subversion of classical notions of light and darkness through mobile light elements and a loop station.
»Tumbling Down My Universe« is a participatory solo performance offering escapist experiences through the self-developed staging strategy of Imaginative Picture Sharing.
! SECRET SPACES will take place seated on the floor, seat cushions will be provided. If a chair is needed, please contact in advance.
Saturday 24.06.
10:00
Festival Centre
Do you feel like starting the festival day with a relaxed yoga flow and breathing exercises?
Then join our beginner-friendly yoga in the festival centre and enjoy the festival even more. You are in for 60 minutes of relaxation for body, mind & soul - with a touch of humour and a warm welcome for everyone. You don't have to be flexible to practise yoga with us - you just have to be curious to try it out!
11:00
Experimentiertheater
With body-based practices, somatic approaches to voice and language, we search for strategies of expression and let dream-like imaginations and hidden voicings of the body unfold. The workshop opens up a space of experience that invites us to discover the visuality and acoustics of inner spaces with each other.
14:00
CVJM Erlangen
The dance performance »A break from CHAOS - A MOVEMENT Performance« is an artistic reflective representation of a reality entrenched in chaos. Born into a social order determined by social and political conventions, Ehab Suwwan tries to come to terms with this reality. He is determined to pause the chaos, overcome powerlessness and briefly regain control through MOVEMENT.
16:00
Gemeindehaus Erlangen-Altstadt
In her expressive dance and body performance »Обiйми: Hold me, hold me, hold« Alina Belyagina depicts the idea of fragility and its metaphorical image through a correlation of body, voice, and movement. Produced during the war in Ukraine, the performance addresses this fragility and its monstrosity and asks the audience provocative questions.
18:00
Mensa Langemarckplatz
After the tragic death of their icon, 5 friends feel compelled to give their lives new purpose and meaning. They find what they seek in the founding of a Beatles cover band and intend to quickly build on the worldwide success of the English rock group. »Don't let me down" is a pop cultural rollercoaster ride about the fear of being alone, not letting someone down, tense group dynamics, Beatles cover bands, time travel, true stupidity and unconditional love.
19:00
Festival Centre
Just put a few coins in and a Diskoschorle (disco spritzer) comes out! The »Diskoschorleautomat« can be found on three days in two different places in Erlangen und offers four variations of Sekt-Mate (bubbly Mate). But what truly takes place inside the machine is only revealed over time. So it pays off to visit briefly each evening and to watch how the vending machine behaves. The big finale occurs on Saturday evening in our festival centre.
21:00
Festival Centre
We invite all chaots to join us on the penultimate day of the festival to enjoy the final evening of the 33rd ARENA Festival. Come along and celebrate the end of our »CHAOS« festival with us.
22:00
Lawn near the Experimentiertheater
»SECRET SPACES IN THE BODY« consists of two parts with a smooth transition.
»Das Geheimnis Versteht Es, Sich Hinter Die Horizontlinie Zurückzuziehen« works with the subversion of classical notions of light and darkness through mobile light elements and a loop station.
»Tumbling Down My Universe« is a participatory solo performance offering escapist experiences through the self-developed staging strategy of Imaginative Picture Sharing.
! SECRET SPACES will take place seated on the floor, seat cushions will be provided. If a chair is needed, please contact in advance.
Sunday 25.06.
10:00
Festival Centre
Sunday morning of the festival is dedicated entirely to exchange and joint discussion. Everyone is invited to come to our festival centre at 10 a.m. and talk about the past week with us, our invited and regional artists and important cultural institutions of the area in a cosy atmosphere.
11:30
Festival Centre
At 11:30 a.m. there will be a workshop discussion about the challenges and opportunities for artists in the metropolitan region. FreieSzeneNbg e.V. will introduce itself in this context. The association represents the interests of artists and participants from all sectors. Its aims and focal points include the visibility and networking of the independent performing arts. The association will report on the current status of its work and its successes to date.
13:00
Festival Centre
Vote & win an exclusive ARENA shirt!
The Audience Award will be presented again this year at the ARENA Festival. Three exclusive ARENA Festival shirts in this year's design by Belén Nicole Otto Ruiz will be raffled off among all participants in the voting for the Audience Award. The ceremony will take place on Sunday at 1 pm at the Festival Centre.
14:30
Mensa Langemarckplatz
After the tragic death of their icon, 5 friends feel compelled to give their lives new purpose and meaning. They find what they seek in the founding of a Beatles cover band and intend to quickly build on the worldwide success of the English rock group. »Don't let me down" is a pop cultural rollercoaster ride about the fear of being alone, not letting someone down, tense group dynamics, Beatles cover bands, time travel, true stupidity and unconditional love.