The Voice of Fingers
For several years now, theatre-maker Thomas Bellinck and journalist Said Reza Adib have been working together long-distance. This distance is not a choice, but the result of a border regime that facilitates the international movement of one of them and obstructs that of the other. A journey that takes one of them eight hours, takes the other eight years. Since it is nearly impossible for Thomas and Reza to share the same stage, they’ve written a highly personal text for two performers. From the ridges and grooves that criss-cross the skin of their fingertips, they zoom out. To a world where skin patterns unlock laptops. And where fingers are commandeered by governments as measuring instruments - to determine who is welcome where.
Said Reza Adib trained as a journalist at the IRNA news agency and worked for various Afghan and Iranian media. For the Afghan elections in 2009, he was media advisor to the future president Ashraf Ghani. Adib has been working as a freelance journalist and author in Greece and Finland for a few years now. Thomas Bellinck studied directing in Brussels. He has been creating his own productions since 2009. «The Voice of Fingers» is part of his «Simple as ABC» a growing series of performances and installations around EU border policies and international mobility injustice.
Easy Read
Thomas lives in Belgium and Reza lives in Finland. They are friends and sometimes make theatre projects together. But that’s difficult because Reza is not allowed to travel. The piece is about why some people can travel and others can’t.
Translation into Sign Language
The performance on 22 May will be translated into Swiss German Sign Language (DSGS). Seats with good visibility to the Deaf Interpreters are marked.
Interpreters: Regula Bächler and Corinne Stutz
Deaf interpreters: Stanko Pavlica and Lorena Müller
For this event you can find an explanatory video in DSGS here.
For people with mobility disabilities
Dampfzentrale is wheelchair accessible. There are stair lifts to the foyer, the Turbinensaal and the toilets. The Access Friend will be happy to help you operate the lifts or you can use the Eurokey. The theatre has a barrier-free toilet. If you are coming with a wheelchair, please contact us in advance so that we can reserve an appropriate seat for you: checkin@auawirleben.ch
We also offer a accessible shuttle (Betax) to the Zentrum Markus. It will be parked in front of the Dampfzentrale after the performance.
Surtitles or similar
The English spoken text is surtitled in German. The surtitles do not contain additional information about sounds and music.
Special Check-In
At auawirleben you have the option of a Special Check-In. If for any reason you would like to avoid the crowded foyer, require a specific seat, need any mobility assistance or would like to be picked up at the bus station, please contact us in advance (checkin@auawirleben.ch). Someone from the team will accompany you according to your needs.
Access Friend
At Dampfzentrale you will find an Access Friend before, during and after the performances. This person is marked with a purple waistcoat. If you have any questions about accessibility or need assistance, please turn to the Access Friend
Social Story
Social stories are used as a tool to prepare people for a social event such as a theatre performance. In our Social Stories, you will find a description for each performance, what situation to expect at the venue and what customs apply there. You can find the (German) Social Story of «The Voice of Fingers» as PDF here.
- Concept & text
- Said Reza Adib, Thomas Bellinck
- Directing
- Thomas Bellinck
- Performance
- Manizja Kouhestani, Jeroen Van Der Ven
- Dramaturgy
- Said Reza Adib, Esther Severi
- Costumes
- Rachid Laachir
- Financial Coordination
- Sandra Raes Oklobdzija
- Language Coach
- Elizabeth Morrison
- Light Design
- Janneke Donkersloot, Stef Stessel
- Production Management & Surtitles
- Marte Van Hassel
- Scenography
- Mirjam Pleines, Stef Stessel
- Set Construction
- Kopspel, Jolan Moonen
- Technique
- Pieter-Jan Buelens, Arthur De Vuyst, Janneke Donkersloot
- Text correction & Translation
- Mahdieh Fahimi, Jodie Hruby, Ulrike Syha, Sarah Van Camp
- Video
- Léna Iloo
- Voices
- Said Reza Adib, Sajjad Hosseini, Fatima Mousavi
Production: Robin
Coproduction: Theater Antigone, Arsenaal/Lazarus, Münchner Kammerspiele, Spielart
Supported by: Kaaitheater, Kask / School Of Arts Of The University College Gent