“Philosophical exercise from a robot performer” (Natasha Tripney)

BY RIMINI PROTOKOLL (STEFAN KAEGI) AND THOMAS MELL

We mostly think of robots as work machines, as efficient and precise executors of tasks. In German industry, they barely look like people, to avoid emotional complications. Unlike in Asia, where humanoid robots have already been developed for some time, for example for care-work or as sex partners. The external similarity to human beings makes the acceptance of machines easier. However, if the machine is too similar to a human, we begin to feel mistrust: what is human, what is machine? Japanese robotics researchers call this weird similarity the “uncanny valley”.

For his play, Stefan Kaegi works with a writer and playwright for the first time: Thomas Melle allowed an animatronic double of himself to be made. This humanoid takes the author’s place and throws up questions: what does it mean for the original when the copy takes over? Does the original get to know himself better through his electronic double? Do the copy and his original compete or do they help each other?

DURATION 60 min
AGE 15 years old +
LANGUAGE English
TICKET
Regular ticket 200 DKK | DYNAMO-Kort 150 DKK | Low income / Youth u. 25 / Student / Climate ticket 150 DKK

Accessibility All seating spaces (including audience seating) in DYNAMO are accessible for wheelchairs, canes, crutches or other mobility aids. Read more about accessibility in DYNAMO here.

Uncanny Valley is produced by Münchner Kammerspiele and co-produced by Temporada Alta, Berliner Festspiele / Immersion, Feodor Elutine / Moscow / Russia, SPRING Performing Arts Festival Utrecht / The Netherlands, Triennale Teatro dell’Arte, Milano, donaufestival Krems. Performing rights by Rowohlt Theater Verlag, Reinbek bei Hamburg“

The performance in DYNAMO is made possible with support from Odense Municipality and IDA.