nonetheless

Nonetheless, we persevere. Nonetheless, we stick together. Nonetheless, we make art. Nonetheless, we say what we think.

The world is quite scary right now. Or infuriating. Or at least bewildering. Those who personally don't have to fear for their lives or dignity are at the very least not in the mood to party. Many things are becoming quite irrelevant in light of what we read in the news every day. A feeling of powerlessness is spreading, and our personal reservoir of empathy is slowly drying up.

So now, more than ever, is the time to listen to each other. And what’s a better place to do that than in the theatre? The 15 invited groups from Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Germany, England, Estonia, Lithuania, Mexico, Austria, Poland, and Switzerland are all bringing stories of resistance to Bern—not large-scale resistance in the form of protests or revolts, but resistance on a small scale. These are stories of defiance: despite crisis, despite poverty, despite exclusion, despite grief, and not least, despite complexity. They are told by a mother and a child, as a VR experience, with music, dance, and noise, with anger and joy, with sorrow and the attempt not to forget.

We don't know if this small act of resistance can change the world, if this personal «nevertheless» even registers with anyone. But what we do know for sure is that the world would change if we didn't offer this micro-resistance, if we cowered, became alienated, and distrusted one another. If there's anything we can do, it's to come together, reflect together, exchange ideas, encourage each other and ourselves, and remain or become allies. It's high time to mend society. And while we're at it, let's repair it with gold and make it more beautiful, better, and stronger than before. Nothing less than that.

We look forward to seeing you at the festival, at Dampfzentrale, Schlachthaus, Tojo, Feuerwehr Viktoria, or in our Festival Centre, at Lehrer*zimmer, at the PROGR – not just despite everything, but precisely because of everything.

Your aua-team