A GARDEN OF PEACE

Exploring my new neighborhood. It's a garden of peace.

Friends, I want to share more with you soon. But during the last weeks, and still now, I feel like just being silent mostly. Soaking myself in the presences of these mountains, in the ice cold water of the river, watching the wild herbs next to it grow, getting to know the microbes in the garden soil. It's really a challenge to answer calls, write messages and be present on social media right now. Don't take my potential silence personally, please. I am simply readjusting, recalibrating, rewiring.

This is a new chapter. And a big one. I have been talking about this a lot, dreamed of, made art about and prayed for the chance to experience life beyond the big cities. It was the reason why I left Berlin some years ago. Now I landed ...here, randomly, in this mountain paradise. After some years of travelling.

It's as scary as it is beautiful. Is my life over now? Aaaaaah... No. It's beginning. And for sure it's not the end of my work in theater, no attempt to hide from society and the complexity of modern life. But still, it's a decision to physically base more of my life on the actual planet I am part of. A decision to remind myself daily that the Web of Life, the Intelligence of Matter is my home in a slightly more urgent way than the digital world.

It feels like I entered school once again, literally learning something new every minute: A new language. Plant knowledge. Cold water. Compost. Chainsaws. Every pore of my body is vibrating with newness and dripping with gratitude. And while all this keeps me really busy these days, it is my deep wish to stay connected and also to make the blessings that I am receiving accessible to whomever feels called to it. So stay tuned for short videos, podcasts and texts or maybe nothing from the mountains ...at one point lol... for now I just want to let you know that I am well.

May the imagination broaden, may peace prevail inside and outside, may the focus shift from preserving an outworn status quo towards curiosity and courage! Every moment can be the beginning of New Earth or however you wanna call it. All it takes is a decision, a shift of perspective, listening action. Kisses.

INTIMACY ON STAGE

This is me during the most stressful rehearsal for my recent play "SEX", which we just got to finish last weekend at Nationaltheater Mannheim. Due to the pandemic, it didn't come out yet. But it's there, waiting for the audiences to return to the theaters, like the dolphins returned to the canals of Venice. You know the meme, right? Exactly, theatres are healing.

I mean, I hope so. First and foremost they need to heal structurally. Who feels safe enough to not just work there (potentially as a token who proves the diversity of the institution) but safe enough to thrive & feel creative? How are we making space for each other? And how can we finally replace the feudalistic structures with actual respect, eye-level and kindness?

I am happy to say that we've made some more steps towards this goal in this recent production. There is genuine trust and a deep knowing that we created this play together, in a circle. Even in the last week of rehearsals there was still space to share what actually moves us, to cry, to be vulnerable while being highly productive, to prioritize care. My colleagues cherished the radical softness we were aiming at in order to deal with the development of a new masculinity (that's what the play is about) and trusted in the shakiness of an aesthetic that isn't daring because it's loud but because it offers itself to an audience without the wish to penetrate it.

We are still at the beginning of a huge unlearning of patriarchal values and in many moments we feel that when we make steps beyond it, we are "weak", we are "losing", we are "unprofessional" because the rules of the masters are still encoded in our cultural DNA. But the times are changing. More people want to feel touched and not necessarily overwhelmed.

In many ways what interests me these days, returning to the job I've had for most of my adult life, as a theatre director, is actually the most simple thing: the immense joy of watching other beings do things while watching my own reaction to them. And to be able to watch them with love. It's again about intimacy, like in a workshop or a bodywork session. And just like in any of these contexts, it's emancipatory and healing to gift each other the most precious thing we have: our presence, as spectators as much as actors.

Part of this intimacy is that bodies are worthy just because they are bodies, not because they are carriers of concepts or ideas, or there to convince anyone of anything. But simply for offering themselves as this magnificent mirror cabinet. Well, that might sound a little kitsch. It's kinda hard to express myself clearly with words. But maybe you can see it in my smile here. I love this work, I am happy for theater to be eating such a huge portion of my life again and I am happy to be able to still do my job during these crazy times. I know that that is a privilege and I will try my best to use the platforms I am given wisely and with care. Huge gratitude for all who have been guiding my way and to all who have criticized me and all who trusted in my approach to this work. Especially the team of this recent production. You all rock my world.

NEW MASCULINITY CIRCLE FOR ALL GENDERS

Live in Berlin next Monday after a couple of Online Editions. Find the Event Link in the comments...

There is a masculinity that is healing. A way to express it that is uplifting, supportive, nourishing.

As a man as much as any other gender: the quest for this new sense of masculinity in ourselves and in society is crucial if we wanna contribute to a world after patriarchy and toxmasc4toxmasc.

As result of my own personal struggle with masculinity it is my strong belief that it won't be done by simply abandoning or somehow "undoing" masculinity and manhood, by excluding men within and without, but by reinventing as much as remembering what it could become.

And this won't be done by lone wolves, no no... but only of we come together in a circle where we see all the possible expressions, all beautiful, all dignified in their own way, all medicine for the others.

I strongly believe that we only find new imagination by taking each other in fully. All genders, all who are touched by masculinity and all who are embodying it. Which means all of us. Trans*, NB, Intersex, even cis-gender straight guys!

This is why it is my mission to do work like this. I am grateful to be doing it in this format which gave me so much insight and joy already, along with my Melanie Bonajo live in Berlin at The Skinship, a lovely, somatic based queer community space close to Schlesisches Tor (fka The Basso for those with grey hair like me )

You are very cordially invited to join us if you are ready for a very simple meeting from the heart, ready to feel stuff and also listen to perspectives radically different than your own. This is not a debate, not about who is right but simply about listening to each other and learning from each other.

Don't hesitate to ask me if you have any further questions.

READ MORE HERE:

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