Report and feedback
This second meeting had a very clear focus: an engagement with the topic of “Migrants in Europe – Migrants and Europe” through the art of dramatic writing.
The meeting was opened with the photography exhibition “Here I am” by Ludwig Thalheimer. For his project, the famous photographer and some young refugees had taken pictures of the city of Bozen in search of motifs that interested them.
22 students from Gazi, Bozen, Graz, Munich and Amsterdam, as well as 5 migrants from Gambia (expressly invited by Gymnasium ”Walther von der Vogelweide“), worked on the topic for 4 days and in doing so utilized numerous inputs and inspirations to develop written scenes.
Bozen (in conjunction with the local theater “Vereinigten Bühnen Bozen”) had also brought in the Munich-based author and director Philipp Jescheck to lead the workshop. Gabriel Molinari, Maths and Improv-Theatre teacher from Amsterdam, aided Jescheck in his work.
In five mixed groups (with representatives of each school and a migrant in each group), the students explored Aeschylus’ “The Suppliants” and tried to develop a variety of characters (modern or ancient) with differing personalities, language patterns and thought processes. Next, they rehearsed their ideas on the stage in the school’s assembly hall, listened to Jescheck’s feedback and then gathered further input from interviews in and around Bozen on Saturday.
The intensive work resulted in a huge collection of different scenes which will now either be used by the schools as loose-leaf publications or integrated into Philip Jescheck’s later summary.
The third step of the project envisages further work with these scenes in order to shape them into a play or an exhibition on the topic. This project could then be used to collect donations for further projects jointly developed by students and migrants.
In addition to all of this intensive work, there was still time for a guided tour of the city, seeing the “ice man” Ötzi, visiting Castle Runkelstein and taking in a film at the independent cinema “Film Club”. Everyone also appreciated the interaction made possible by big dinners in the city’s pizzerias and by playing dodgeball in the sports hall.
Feedback from Philip Jescheck:
“Dear Martina, I had a great time with you all! It was lovely to be able to work on this project with you”.
The next meeting will take place in Amsterdam. The “Barlaeusgymnasium” will stage a play and try to integrate the students from participating countries into its production. Date: November 2017.