This year’s 53rdBelgrade International Theatre Festival was opened by unique theatrical
project “Remote Belgrade” by the authors Stefan
Kaegi and Jörg Karrenbauer of the
well-known Rimini
Protocol Company. After visiting numerous towns all around the world, this project,
under the generic name “Remote X”, which is assigned a new name after the town
it visits, finally arrived to Belgrade. In the period from 17-25 September 2019
(two times a day – i.e., at 11:00 and 17:00 hrs.), with the starting point from the New Cemetery in Belgrade,
Belgradears and their guests will have an opportunity to experience this unique
theatrical installation.
Within the
theatrical project “Remote Belgrade”,
a group of up to 50 people set off into the City of Belgrade. They are guided
by a synthetic voice - as they recognize it from GPS navigators. The
installation questions artificial intelligence, big data and human
predictability. As the project tours from city to city, each new site-specific
version builds upon the dramaturgy of the previous city. The project is
completely immersive, since the audience do not simply blend into a given
dramatic situation but, since there are no performers, they create it, although
not singlehandedly. Following the instructions coming through the headphones,
the audience walk through Belgrade, from one spot designated by the authors to
another. It creates a powerful, sensual experience of being a part of the
community, while making it possible for everyone to process it alone. An intuitive
text makes the audience ponder if they are familiar with the town they live in,
if they feel better in a group or alone, how they feel in the community, if they
walk through their lives alone, or are they led by a superior mechanism.
You may see more details on this unique theatrical
project: here
(source: Radio Television of Serbia-web site).