The episodes that Shehrezad tells in the stories of one thousand and one nights is the story of a city that transforms over night into copper, including all it’s inhabitants. Mahmoud Aboudoma’s adaption of this episode was developed in scenic-associative rehearsals into a dream-dramaturgy. The Egyptian-Austrian collaboration is the result of an intercultural artistic dialogue, vivid proof of this encounter between Orient and Occident.

As a starting point for the work of the dancers the apocalyptic motive was developed in scenic-associative rehearsals into a dream dramaturgy: As a score the text becomes a lens that focuses the sound of the words into a kaleidoscope of images, bodies, gestures, sentiments and affect into a mental stage. The scenic happenings break into a variety of mental scenes, that constitute the subjective and cultural memory.

REACTIONS on «COPPERCITY 1001» in Jordan

"Coppercity 1001 talks in a extraordinary way about the theme of violence, an important piece for the arabic world.”

Prof. Akeel M. Yousif, Theaterdepartment College of Fine Arts, Baghdad

"An excellent work about poetry and violence, tenderness and rawness. We nee these kind of pieces in the arabic world.”

Jawad Al Assadi, director and writer, Babeltheater Beyrut

"Coppercity 1001 talks in a extraordinary way about the theme of violence, an important piece for the arabic world.”

Prof. Akeel M. Yousif, Theaterdepartment College of Fine Arts, Baghdad

"An excellent work about poetry and violence, tenderness and rawness. We nee these kind of pieces in the arabic world.”

Jawad Al Assadi, director and writer, Babeltheater Beyrut

«Coppercity 1001» created 2007 in Alexandria/Egypt and Salzburg, reworked in 2008.

Oriental version:

premiere 24 April 2007 at Arts Center Bibliotheca Alexandria, Egypt

occidental version:

premiere 10 October 2008 at the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theater, Cairo Opera House Small Hall

dance, creation: Zoé Alibert (FR), Barbara Motschiunik, Anna Maria Müller, Tomaž Simatovic (SI), Dante Murillo (CO), Editta Braun

acting: Ahmad Abou Kharma (JO), Khaled Raafat (EG), Sara Rashad (EG)

composition: Thierry Zaboitzeff (FR)

light design: Peter Thalhamer

text, idea, puppets, stage set: Mahmoud Aboudoma (EG)

dramaturgy: Gerda Poschmann-Reichenau (DE)

choreography, directing, costumes: Editta Braun

A co-production of Brucknerhaus Linz, Alternative Theater Group Alexandria, Bibliotheca Alexandrina and editta braun company.

Touring

Arts Center Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria/Ägypten, Brucknerhaus Linz, Szene Salzburg republic, World Performing Arts Festival Lahore/Pakistan, Amman International Theater Festival/Jordanien, tanz_house Festival Salzburg, Festival Österreich tanzt, St. Pölten, 24 heures de spéctacle de Kef, Tunesien, MomenTTum Festival Portoroz/Slowenien

«Coppercity 1001»

(2007/2008)

The new interpretation of a tale from “The Arabian Nights” by the egyptian writer Mahmoud Aboudoma, in which the inhabitants of a city are freezing to copper, („Letters from the Coppercity“), gives the base for a gloomy poetical parable on a civilisation gotten blameworthy by its silence and by looking away.

created in Alexandria/Egypt and Salzburg 2007 and 2008

premiere 24 April 2007 at Arts Center Bibliotheca Alexandria, Egypt; premiere of the second version 10 October 2008 at Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theater, Cairo Opera House Small Hall