Six plays and a voyage of discovery through the interworld

Odysseus comes home and no longer recognises his native island of Ithaca. The theatres of the Ruhr have invited six European authors to retell Homer's famous epic poem: Grzegorz Jarzyna, Péter Nádas, Emine Sevgi Özdamar, Christoph Ransmayr, Roland Schimmelpfennig and Enda Walsh.

Austrian author Christoph Ransmayr has written a piece for Schauspiel Dortmund.
Photo: Mattias Horn

The individual episodes are linked to form a complete story, which is performed on five weekends. The audience undertakes a journey from theatre to theatre that forms its own odyssey through the world of light and shadow of a European metropolitan landscape. raumlaborberlin, an international group focusing on architecture, art, planning and action, presents a surprising change of perspective. Where are we? In a landscape of memories or in the scenario of a near future?

Historical figure or group of authors?

Homer's "Odyssey" is one of the oldest surviving texts in Western culture. It is an adventure novel, heroic epic, love story and family drama all rolled into one. For the six authors from Poland (Grzegorz Jarzyna), Hungary (Péter Nádas), Austria (Christoph Ransmayr), Ireland (Enda Walsh), Germany (Roland Schimmelpfennig) and Turkey (Emine Sevgi Özdamar), the old question re-emerged: Was Homer an actual historical figure or a group of authors?

Modern mythic scenario

Just as he freely made use of external sources to create deftly crafted odes about the adventurer Odysseus, so these authors have Homer's characters step out of these plays of home, dreams and satyrs with a surprisingly contemporary feel.

Odyssey Europa is brought to life by the strong perspectives of the authors and directors and integrates completely different writing styles. In the six episodes from the life of the hero Odysseus, images emerge of talking ruins, shifting borders and perilous centres - a modern mythic scenario for all dreams of success and fears of loss.

Issues of the future of Europe

The Ruhr provides the perfect showcase for a contemporary retelling of the "Odyssey" as all the issues of the future of Europe are reflected here. How will we learn to live together in a world subject to unrelenting change? Cultures tend to build up barriers against the outside - so how can the theatre of the present day make a contribution to the opening up of communities?

Shifting perspectives

The audience at "Odyssey Europa" also undertake a journey of discovery - in six stages over two days and one long night. One minute they may be sitting in the Centre Stalls, Row 9, the next moment they are rushing backstage, leaving the theatre and their position as observer. Shifting perspectives bring new details to the surface. And you too can be part in this two-day theatre marathon and odyssey through the interworld of the Ruhr archipelago. You travel by car, boat and bus. Hosts from the Ruhr area will open their homes to you and accompany you on parts of your journey.

"Odyssey Europa" is a joint project organised by the Schauspielhaus Bochum, Schauspiel Dortmund, Schauspiel Essen, Schlosstheater Moers, Theater an der Ruhr, Theater Oberhausen, raumlaborberlin and the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010