Our third experiment ever took place in the summer of 2006. Involving a team of artists from France, Germany and Denmark, it was also our first international experiment.
The purpose was to examine and compare the political theatre of three different European countries, and to discuss the current potential of political art across national borders and traditions.
In 2011, the Danish/Norwegian director Zoe Christiansen proposed an experiment involving a type of set design that we had never heard of: a digital mask - and a very interesting set of collaborators from five different countries. The experiment was a preparatory research for a cross-over performance of dance, theatre, music and digital visual design called Passing Place Greenland.
Italian set designer and researcher Luca Ruzza from Open Lab Company had these observations about cross-over genres:
Over the years we have experimented not only with performing arts, but also with the way that we document our research. We have moved from simply reporting the process to focusing more on 'results and reflections', and from written reports to a more extensive use of videos and interviews.
In 2013, the experiment 'ZOOM!' created a new documentation format especially to fit their discoveries: a webpage collage that takes you for a tour of the experiment and enables you to - yes - zoom in on every detail.
'Saga. Nostalgia. Vikings. Valhal. Light. Cool. Nature. Consideration. Open. Harmony' ....
'Pure and clear. Beautiful. Cool. Clean. Cold. Fog. Light. Strength. Birch. Freedom. Noise and alcohol'.
In 2009, I did a quick email survey among 50 of my Danish friends and colleagues:
What colour, what object, what word, and what natural phenomenon do you associate with NORDIC?
There was a direct line between our first experiment and this one: 'Gorey på tværs' or 'The Gorey Experiment' from 2008. After I had presented Experiment 1 with writers and musicians at Laboratoriet's conference Meeting #1, dramaturg Sandra Buch came up to me and spoke very quickly and very excitedly about an interdisciplinary experiment she would like to propose, as a parallel or deepening of Experiment 1.
It all started with Experiment 1.
November 2005, at Entré Scenen.
The experiment was called Musical Improvisation and Text and was an ambitious attempt to explore a process of co-creation between playwrights and improvising musicians. It was at the same time so challenging and rewarding an experience that I still consider it one of my favourites of all our experiments. What a way to start out. Later, I wrote in the report:
Once again, Laboratoriet is organising a Theatre Brunch at the ILT Festival, on Saturday the 30th of May at 10:00. We will be facilitating a conversation between the visiting ILT artists, local performing artists and everyone interested in theatre and performance methods and work processes.
Seated around the brunch table are representatives and participating artists of the following ILT performances:
Deltagere søges til workshoppen 'Jeg husker...' d.14.-15. marts kl.11:00–17:00 på Godsbanen, Århus.
At this year's RAPP, there will be a workshop for Aarhus and international students. The workshop takes place at Godsbanen on March 21st and will include an introduction to Laboratoriet's research as well as a practical exchange and research process, where the students will develop their own experience in the field of performance experiments.
This year's conference will take place at Svalegangen, Aarhus, where the artists will present the results and reflections from their experiments at Laboratoriet.
