Wort und Herzschlag – Dokumentarisches Theater von Michael Ruf

DROUGHTS, FLOODS, STORMS. UNINHABITABLE ZONES AND DISTRIBUTION STRUGGLES ARE SPREADING. THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION IS SHRINKING. THE CLIMATE MONOLOGUES TELL OF THE GLOBAL STRUGGLES OF DIVERSE PEOPLE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE. THEY PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO HOW PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE WORLD ARE FEELING THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR OWN BIOGRAPHIES.

THE PLAY TELLS OF A FAMILY’S SURVIVAL IN BANGLADESH AFTER CYCLONE AILA, A PASTORALIST’S STRUGGLE AGAINST HUNGER DUE TO DROUGHT IN NORTHERN KENYA, A CLIMATE ACTIVIST FROM PAKISTAN WHOSE OWN VILLAGE AT THE FOOT OF A GLACIER WAS FLOODED, AND A NURSE WHO NARROWLY ESCAPED THE DEADLIEST WILDFIRE IN CALIFORNIA’S HISTORY.

THESE ARE HARROWING STORIES THAT ARE ALSO SO POWERFUL BECAUSE THEY ARE REAL.
RUF HAS LONG SINCE PERFECTED THIS SPECIAL KIND OF DOCUMENTARY THEATER.
THE DIMENSIONS AND CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE ARE UNDERSTOOD VERY DIFFERENTLY HERE THAN IN THE NEWS.

CONTEMPORARY THEATER THAT RESPONDS TO WHAT IS, THAT REFLECTS THE WORLD WE LIVE IN.

THE CLIMATE CATASTROPHE GETS A FACE.
THE IMAGES ARE CREATED IN THE MIND AND HAVE A STRONGER IMPACT THAN ANY PHOTO. THE CONCEPT WORKS.
BIT BY BIT, YOU ARE DRAWN INTO THIS HAUNTING AND YET POETIC NARRATIVE. YOU CAN’T LOOK AWAY. THE IMAGES GET STUCK IN YOUR HEAD AND CALL YOU TO ACTION.

IN AN EVENING AS HAUNTING AS IT IS ASCETIC, AN ENSEMBLE LED BY DOCUMENTARY THEATER MAKER MICHAEL RUF NOW DELIVERS MESSAGES FROM EPICENTERS OF THE CRISIS.

IT IS SURE TO INCREASE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE DESOLATE-LOOKING FUTURE OF OUR PLANET.

MINIMAL DIRECTION GIVES THE STORIES ALL THE SPACE THEY NEED.THE IMAGES ARISE IN THE MIND.
HAS A STRONGER EFFECT THAN ANY NEWS PICTURE.BUT THE STORIES ALSO TELL OF HOPE, OF RECONSTRUCTION AND OF COMMITMENT.
A VERY URGENT CALL TO DO SOMETHING, TO WAKE UP.

IN THE NEW DOCUMENTARY THEATER PIECE “CLIMATE MONOLOGUES” BY MICHAEL RUF, PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING KENYA, BANGLADESH AND CALIFORNIA, TALK ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR OWN BIOGRAPHIES.

INFOS about WORD AND HEARTBEAT -> DOWNLOAD

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THESE ARE FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCES AND FEELINGS THAT TOUCH ACCORDINGLY.
ONE CAN HARDLY RESIST THE ACCURACY AND EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF THE STORIES.
THEATER RARELY CHANGES REALITY LIKE THIS.

THE MONOLOGUES TOUCH, CREATE CLOSENESS, MAKE ANGRY AND NAME WAYS TO GET INVOLVED. THEY RESIST THE DEHUMANIZATION OF THIS TRAGEDY. THEY FOCUS ON THE STORIES OF THOSE AFFECTED.

TRAGEDY CREEPS IN BEFORE IT STRIKES WITH FULL FORCE.
TRUE STORIES FULL OF SUFFERING, DEATH, BUT ALSO HOPE.
A POWERFUL, TOUCHING PIECE OF THEATRE.

ONE WOULD LIKE TO END THIS INJUSTICE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS HAUNTING EVENING.

IT iS VERY POWERFUL WHAT NAOMIE, JOE, SELMA AND YASSIN ARE SAYING. ABOUT PEOPLE DROWNING SILENTLY IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES. OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES THAT RECUR IN THEIR DREAMS. OF THE FEAR OF FATAL DECISIONS.

THE PLAY RESONATES FAR BEYOND THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT.

IN HIS DOCUMENTARY PIECE MEDITERRANEAN migration MONOLOGUES, MICHAEL RUF GIVES A VOICE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE FLED TO EUROPE ON A RISKY PATH.

The MEDITERRANEAN MIGRATION MONOLOGUES talk about political resistors, Naomie from Cameroon, and Yassin from Libya, who find themselves on a boat to Europe, about brutal “coast guards” and dubious rescue coordination centers, and about activists who are doing something against the dying in the mediterranean Sea. The ‘Alarmphone’ convinces the coast-guards to search for missing people, while other activists learn on board the Seawatch to preserve people from drowning – they do the most natural thing in the world, what is not certain any more in 2020: to save human life.

TRUTHFUL PLAY IN THE SCHAUSPIELHAUS.
MINIMALIST THEATRE PAR EXCELLENCE.

STIRRING MEMORANDUM AND IMPORTANT WARNING IN EQUAL MEASURE.

The play convinces through its tightness, does it without exaggerated drama and already touches through simple retelling.
The persons narrated condense to likable persons who gets degrated several times but are still strong enough to stick to life.

Empathy as weapon.
It crawls under one‘s skin.

let the relatives of the victims speak.

Empathy and distance at the same time.
A strong piece of theater.

Subtly directed and very meaningful.

DEEPLY PERSONAL AND HIGHLY POLITICAL.
ILLUMINATES A CURRENT CHAPTER OF GERMAN HISTORY IN A NEW MANNER.

A piece of truth which makes contemplative und also angry.

Away from the dock.

These testimonials really go under your skin.

THE NSU MONOLOGUES TELL OF THE YEARS Long STRUGGLE OF THREE FAMILIES OF NSU VICTIMS.
THE NSU-MONOLOGUES ARE DOCUMENTARY, WORD BY WORD THEATRE, SOMETIMES Cautious, SOMETIMES DEMANDING, SOMETIMES ANGRY – RAWly AND DIRECTly THEY GIVE US INTIMATE INSIGHTS INTO THE STRUGGLE OF THE RELATIVES FOR TRUTH.

The pioniers of „refugee theater“.

Unusual intense participation at each single fate.Multi-layered and inspiring insight which shows another horizon.

Theater for an open arms policy.

Michael Ruf dares with the „Asylum Dialogues“ an actual confrontational view on the experiences and sufferings.

Many soft-spoken, unexpected encounters which deeply move.An intense evening, a moving topic.

REFUGEES TALK BACK. THE STORIES ARE RAW AND IMMEDIATE.

Spectacular theater. Spectacular because of the very abstinence of sensations.

The play not only shows the injustice (…), it also shows a loophole, it shows how much can be reached.

THE ASYLUM DIALOGUES TELL about ENCOUNTERS THAT CHANGE PEOPLE, tell about COMMON STRUGGLES IN UNEXPECTED MOMENTS – ONE OF THESE STORIES TAKES PLACE IN th city of OSNABRÜCK, WHERE SINCE MARCH 2014 A BROAD ALLIANCE OF solidary people HAve Prevented more than 30 DEPORTATIONS so far AND HAS THUS BECOME A role MODEL FOR MANY NATIONWIDE…
WE HEAR THIS STORY FIRST HAND, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF TWO YOUNG ACTIVISTS WHO ARE FORCED TO PLAY CAT-AND-MOUSE WITH THE POLICE. THE STORY CONFRONTS US WITH THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH COURAGE WE CAN DEVELOP WHEN INITIALLY LOOSELY CONNECTED POLITICAL ACTIVISTS BECOME GOOD FRIENDS.

An impressive success story.

Political theater that attempts to sensitize and agitate for its concern. And which is impressively successful doing this.

The audience is silent, completely silence.The spectators sit magnetized.
The performances shock and rise many questions for the audience.

Who has not dealt with the fate of refugees, receives a very good insight.

Intensives, oft schmerzliches, aber für Momente auch erstaunlich komisches und warm-menschliches Kopfkino. (…)
Große Wirkung.

Three very touching and shocking stories about resistance, the courage to face life and hope.

An ashaming conclusion for the allegedly perfect and attractive Europe and especially for Germany.

THE ASYLUM MONOLOGUES Talk about ALI FROM TOGO, AFFECTIONATELY CALLED “the PRESIDENT” BY FRIENDS, about FELLEKE FROM ETHIOPIA, WHO FIRST HAS TO WILLINGLY PREVENT ATTEMPTS AT DEPORTATION and afterwards RECEIVEs A HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD, AND about SAFIYE, WHO AFTER YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT IN TURKEY AND AN ABSURD REJECTION OF ASYLUM, makes THE MOST LIFE-AFFIRMING decision possible: giving LIFE TO A SON AND A DAUGHTER.

Songs

Inspired by the interviews for the Mediterranean Migration Monologues, Michael Ruf also wrote lyrics that were musically realized in collaboration with composers.

This resulted in “Tons of Water” (composition: Marlène Colle), “We fall into silence” (composition: Torsten Knoll) and “The Memories always return” (composition: Peer Kleinschmidt).

Since December 2021, these songs have been an integral part of the Mediterranean Migration Monologues, but are also performed independently of the play, e.g. at rallies.

Orchestra Session

On September 12, 2022, we recorded the songs from the “Monologues of the Mediterranean Sea” with a 9-piece orchestra in the Big Hall of Heimathafen Neukölln.

Documentary theater

The Asylum Monologues, Asylum Dialogues, NSU Monologues and the Mediterranean Migration Monologues are so called „documentary theater“.

The writer Michael Ruf conducts interviews, which last several hours, sometimes several days.

These interviews are only shortened and condensed.

Nothing is added and the diction of speaking is maintained.

“Verbatim”, „word by word theater“.

It is, as if the actors directly speak to the audience, reach out with their hand to the spectators and draw them into a world which will not leave the audience cold any longer.

Intertwined, connected and linked with the protagonists of the play, the audience curiously follows the paths of the narrated stories.

When the actors whisper, remain silent, carefully throw a word into the room, from time to time become louder, raise their voices demanding or enraged, sometimes even almost screaming, then the sounds do not reach the spectators in an abstract manner, then the audience will be struck and touched directly and in all their physicality by what is said.

When the actress looks at the audience, then the audience will be involved in what they know and believe to have happened in reality.

Network of artists

A nationwide network of actors, actresses and musicians perform the several plays.

That’s why mostly regional artists perform the monologue pieces.

For a request to play in Hamburg we contact our artists from Hamburg. If an invitation comes from Munich, we call artists from Munich. And if we are invited to play in New York, we work with artists from New York.

This network is constantly growing, mostly through recommendations from already engaged artists.

In the last few years, about 500 artists have already become involved.

That’s how the productions can be brought to stage with comparatively little effort.

Thus, the travel distances are much shorter than with conventional tours – this makes the project resource-saving, environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Performances can be realized promptly and flexibly due to this network. New productions can be presented nationwide very quickly.

Performances in different cities are therefore also very different: since all actors and actresses with their very different and specific talents give the protagonists a voice, each performance becomes distinctive and unique.

About ‘Word and Heartbeat’

The central element of ‘Wort und Herzschlag’ is a nationwide network of actors and musicians as well as Michael Ruf’s artistic signature of ‘verbatim theater’.

As author and director, Michael Ruf has written and staged the Asylum Monologues, Asylum Dialogues, NSU Monologues and Mediterranean Monologues.

“Wort und Herzschlag” gUG (haftungsbeschränkt) is recognized as a non-profit organization.

With this organization and the network of artists he has built up, Michael Ruf produces his plays.

Testimonials

Michael Ruf brings moving stories of people who risked their lives on the Mediterranean Sea on stage.

And of those who stand by them unwaveringly.

An impressive contribution against looking and listening away.

Ramona Lenz

medico international

We listen far too little to those affected by racism.

It seems that we do not really want to deal with these realities.

This documentary theatre forces us to do so.

I have rarely seen theatre with such an impact.

Ruben Neugebauer

Sea-Watch

The Mediterranean Migratino Monologues brought out a real image of the happenings which refugees experience on their way to Europe, those who die as well as those who survive.

The dangers and traumas they experience.

It was very emotional, mind opening and educative

Bethi Ngari

Women in Exile

Stories that are forgotten are repeated again and again in other places, at other times and with other people.

‘Word and Heartbeat’ makes an essential contribution to ensuring that these stories are not repeated and that human rights are respected.

Anas Albasha

Revival of the peaceful Syrian peace movement

Theater conveys a deeper truth about what happened.

Directly, beyond the person and beyond his emotions.

Michael Ruf succeeds again and again with his plays in building bridges between the worlds.

David Schraven

CORRECTIV – Journalistic investigation for the society

Radio

Current supporters

2020 and 2021 the work of ‘Word and Heartbeat’ is made possible by:

UN Refugee Aid works worldwide to ensure the survival of refugees and protect their rights.

Engagement Global is the contact in Germany for civic and community involvement in development cooperation.

Brot für die Welt is an aid organisation of the Protestant regional churches and free churches of Germany.

The Catholic Fund promotes global church and development-related education and public relations work within Germany.

Charity Pot supports organisations and campaigns in favour of people, animals and the environment.

The Berlin Senate promotes the free theatre dance scene in Berlin in the field of ‘performing arts’.

The ‘Landesstelle für Entwicklungs-Zusammenarbeit’ (LEZ) is the central coordination office for development cooperation in the Land of Berlin.

The Hans Böckler Foundation deals with Co-determination, research linked to the world of work and the support of students on behalf of the DGB, the Confederation of German Trade Unions.

The ‘German Postcode Lottery’ supports projects in the fields of social equality, social cohesion, environmental protection and nature conservation.

The Democracy Promotion Fund is intended to support exemplary plans, ideas and projects that contribute to strengthening democracy.

The North German Foundation for Environment and Development (NUE) supports future projects in the sense of Agenda 21 in Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

The Helle Panke – Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Berlin – promotes political education and the development of free and mature thinking and solidarity in a humanistic, democratic and cosmopolitan sense..

The Hauptstadtkulturfonds supports individual projects and events that are important for the federal capital Berlin, national and international charisma and are particularly innovative.

The BINGO! project funding for Schleswig-Holstein supports exemplary activities in the fields of nature and environmental protection, nature and environmental education, development cooperation and global learning, among others.

The Sebastian-Cobler-Foundation for Civil Rights promotes the education and training of the general public in the sense of the democratic constitutional state, especially the protection of constitutionally guaranteed basic rights.

The State Programme for Democracy, Diversity, Respect of the Berlin Senate supports projects that work against right-wing extremism, racism and anti-Semitism.

Supported by the Fonds Performing Arts with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

The fund supports the multifaceted work of freelance artists in the freely producing German theater and dance landscape.

Supported by the Fonds Performing Arts with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

#TakePart goes to model projects that use creative strategies in their communication work in order to reorient themselves to the public.

The North Rhine-Westphalia Environment and Development Foundation promotes civic engagement for sustainable development. It is committed to the protection of natural resources, the idea of the One World and human dignity and contributes to the implementation of Agenda 2030.

The Lower Saxony Lotto Sports Foundation supports a wide variety of projects in the fields of sports and integration of migrant people.

NEUSTART KULTUR’s revival funding supports revivals or artistic or formal reworkings of productions by the independent performing arts.

Supported by the Fonds Performing Arts with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

NEUSTART KULTUR’s research funding supports open-ended research and conceptual development of artistic projects, as well as projects that serve artistic qualification.

Supported by the Fonds Performing Arts with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

The Creative Transfer program supports the international networking and visibility of companies, artists and creative professionals in the performing arts, visual arts and games.

Previous support

The Asylum Monologues, Asylum Dialogues, NSU Monologues and Mediterranean Migration Monologues have been sponsored by these funders so far:

TV and Video