PLATTENBAUTEN — INSELN DER GEGENWART

In former East Germany, one in four people lived in industrialised, prefabricated housing known as Plattenbau. And even those who didn’t knew someone who lived in a ‘prefab’. While back then they were considered desirable, modern living spaces, the reputation of these types of homes has deteriorated in Germany, with the images of the right-wing extremist attacks in Rostock and Hoyerswerda ingrained in the country’s collective memory. Some people now consider these prefab buildings the epitome of drabness and social decline. Others defend this type of housing, and their own histories and memories along with it. The simplicity of modular construction means these types of complexes are commonplace around the world. Could this building method, often discredited as ugly, forge a kind of aesthetic connection between experiences in different locations?

Could these prefab blocks constitute a gateway to a world in which it is possible to understand our history as something mutual and shared? This co-production with young Dresden collective MAXINTHEWOOD PRODUCTIONS, led by director Maximilian Hanisch, uses theatre performance to explore this modern form of construction and way of life. It brings together five performers from five countries on the stage. Their encounter forms the core foundation of the production, which combines dance and acting. Together, the international ensemble tells the interwoven story of the places that are linked to this idea of prefab housing: Moscow, Zanzibar City, Hong Kong and Weimar.