World Crisis Theatre

European artistic and civic cooperation on the theme of the financial crisis and its consequences in Europe

worldcrisistheatre.com

WHAT
is the aim?

To make sense of the economic and social consequences of the 2008 financial crisis, through art

WHO
is involved?

7 partners from Germany, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal and Sweden

WHEN
is it happening?

The project was conceived in 2011, and took place from 2012 to 2014

The Aim

The 2008 financial crisis turned into an economic crisis, a political crisis, and a societal crisis. The consequences of the crash affected multiple layers of society, challenging economic, political, and social systems. 

How could we draw meaning out of a subject so vast and elusive? Could an artistic approach provide a way to navigate a world that often inspires in us feelings of fear, injustice or revolt?

The project aimed to design an artistic experience which would serve as a joint reflection on the topic. An original play was created, focusing on the origins of the financial crisis, with different productions in each country. 

Through this experience, European citizens were able to question a phenomenon that has disrupted their economies, their daily lives, and their perception of the world. 

Genesis

The Power of Yes, by English playwright David Hare (2009)

Inspiration

In 2009, a year to the day after the September 2008 financial crash, David Hare’s The Power of Yes opened at the National Theatre. The play explored the abstruse mechanisms of the financial system which caused the crash, as well as exposing the public discourse which almost led to an acceptance of its inevitability.

Watching the play gave the audience a sense of perspective and deeper understanding of the origins of a crisis which had profoundly affected them. Moreover, the play stimulated audiences to react, respond, and speak out on these issues.

What does it mean for Europe?

The UK was not the only country to suffer after the crash. How did the economic, social, and political ramifications of the financial crisis reverberate at the European level? 

World Crisis Theatre offered artists from different European countries the opportunity to collaborate on an artistic project inspired by The Power of Yes. The resulting theatrical performance would hopefully provide Europeans with a means of understanding the complexities of the issue, as well as an outlet to express their perspectives, reactions, and concerns. 

The European Crisis Games

The Play

Eight European citizens are chosen from the crowd to recreate the events of the financial crash, as they transpired at a European level. Their objective: to understand the complex subtleties of the European economy. They each present a portrait of a different economists, bankers, traders, academics…all while trying to understand the complex subtleties of the European economy.

How much money can they make? How far will they go to do so? How far is too far? 

Credits

Freely inspired by The Power of Yes, by David Hare (2009)

Director: Bruno Freyssinet
Musical Director: Grégory Veux
Collaboration: Nathalie Yanoz, Ikse Maître
Sound: Julien Lafosse
Production: Juliette Bompoint, Julie Paule

Cast: Clémence Chatagnon, Hayet Chouachi, Hugo Miguel Coelho, Dimitri d’Urbano, Marilou Malo, Samuel Roger, Linus Sundqvist, Jessica Walter Gabory

The Partners

Supporters of World Crisis Theatre

Timeline

2011

Inspiration and initial conception of the project.

June 2012

Preparation meeting with each project partner in Paris.

September 2012 – June 2013

Research conducted by students in each participating country and workshops.

Summer 2013

Student exchange in Greece, including rehearsals and performances in Sifnos, Athens and Epidaurus. 

March 2014

Creation of The European Crisis Games at Teatermaskinen (Riddarhyttan, Sweden).

April 2014

European tour: performances of The European Crisis Games together with responses produced locally. 

June 2014

Project conclusion. Last partner meeting in Ryddarhittan (Sweden) together with a last performance of The European Crisis Games, during Teatermaskinen Resistance Festival.

Last round of The Creative Commune!

Last week, our partners, Cergy University, hosted the international conference “Gestes, rythmes et mouvements du commun” during which the last round of Creative Commune took place. On Friday, all

Read More

Culture and Entrepreneurship forum

The 9th edition of the forum brought together cultural players under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture The “Entreprendre dans la culture” forum was held from 4 to 6 July at the

Read More

LeCAKE Train selected by the Seine Saint Denis’ call Agir

LeCAKE Train is led by a European consortium from Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Portugal. It is already supported by Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships and the Paris Europe Label. The Call to

Read More

Europefiction 2023

From 29 July to 5 August 2023, the Europefiction camp will be held in Dortmund at KJT Dortmund. For 8 days, 150 young people will be practising art and theatre together and performing in public.

Read More

Next workshop in Lesbos for Theater Makes Politics

The next workshop in the Theater Makes Politics project will be held in Lesbos, Greece, from 26 September to 2 October 2023. The partners will present and test the four Theater Makes Politics

Read More

End of the project Europefiction Academy

The project Europefiction Academy ended in June 2023. Thanks to this project, which began in September 2021, ten artistic companies from France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Hungary, Belgium and

Read More

End of the project Oratio Mix

The Oratio mix project addresses the issue of intercultural dialogue in Europe, which is both a priority and a sensitive subject depending on the country concerned. It aims to question relations

Read More

Launch of the project Gresys

GRESYS – Green stories from youth to stage is an ERASMUS+ small-scale partnership project in the youth field, run by an Italian and two French cultural organisations: Teatro alla Guilla, La

Read More