Time for Care

Dear visitors to Gessnerallee, dear artists, dear readers of our newspaper

These are dire times. We cannot avert the current alarming and frightening developments in the world and must accept that, in the future, they will get even worse. It's dark. It's true.

What we can do is ensure that voices are heard and stories are told from a different perspective about how people, despite a lack of hope, are working on a small scale to face a future. We can give a stage to thoughts, topics and people who will probably be deprived of one stage after another in the foreseeable future. 

That is why we are happy about the diversity of perspectives, voices and formats that have their say in the second issue of our newspaper.

We are delighted about the new review format with ‘Reporters without barriers’. And there is also a unique collaboration with the ‘Papierlose Zeitung’.

In ‘Der Lesbian Gaze und der Blick als Einladung’, dramaturge Isabel Gatzke explains how the gaze in dance and theatre performances influences dynamics of power and subjugation, attraction and distance. Dramaturge and researcher Nele Solf has compiled various experiences on the perception of non-normative bodies for us.

In a conversation between dramaturge Noa Winter and co-director Amelia Lander-Cavallo from the Quiplash company (guest at the Gessnerallee on 13 and 14 December), the artist talks about the interplay between a drag show and audio description for visually impaired people. And Jessica Sigerist, founder of untamed.love, tells us what a sex shop and theatre have to do with each other in an interview with journalist and head of communications Rahel Bains.

This time, the column format ‘A thought on theatre’ features playwright Laura de Weck. Artist and musician Rada Leu once again delights us with a comic and photographer Hannah Gottschalk with a photo essay.

In the theatre horoscope, performance artist Edwin Ramirez shows us the future. However, the future will not happen if there is a lack of young people. Zurich's theatre scene is thriving, but in the area of children and young people, there is a need to catch up. In the article by journalist Jenny Bargetzi, we find out why this is the case.

Last but not least: when it gets darker outside, it is all the more important to know the mechanics and magic of light engineering. Technician Corinne Werffeli shares her knowledge of creating poetic spaces with spotlights and lighting consoles.

You can order the second issue of our newspaper - or all four, which we will be publishing by the summer - at zeitung@gessnerallee.ch.

By the way: it's not just the growing number of people who subscribe to our newspaper that has made us happy over the last few days, but also the full hall last weekend. ‘Exposure’ by Alexandra Bachzetsis and the Swedish dance company Cullberg was sold out for all three nights. And this weekend, on 13 and 14 December, we continue with our winter piece ‘Unsightly Drag and Friends’ by the Drag Kings, Queens and Things from Quiplash.

Now for the weekly overview of programme items, newspaper articles, news and everything we want to share with you:

Programme recommendations of the week

12 December, 8 pm

‘Szenen der Flucht’ by ’Papierlose Zeitung’

Migrants take the floor. They talk about migration and politics, life and resistance from their perspective - personally, journalistically and poetically. More information

13 and 14 December, both at 8 pm

‘Unsightly Drag and Friends’ by Quiplash

A somewhat different cabaret evening with the disabled and neurodivergent performers from Quiplash. They will all perform their way into our hearts with singing, dancing, lip sync and loads of glitter. More information about the show

Reading and listening tip: Our dramaturge Noa Winter spoke to queer, blind Quiplash co-director Amelia Lander-Cavallo about integrated audio description and relaxed performance. To the interview (audio and text)

Newspaper

'Den Jungen fehlt die Bühne' 

Zurich's theatre scene is flourishing, but there is a need to catch up in the children's and youth sector. Journalist Jenny Bargetzi investigates why in this area Zurich is stuck in a niche existence. To the article

Furthermore

Christmas is just around the corner - do you still need gift ideas?

How about a voucher or a season pass from the Gessnerallee? A subscription to our four newspaper issues, which we will be publishing until the summer, is also an ideal gift for people who like good (cultural) stories.

Order a season pass/voucher at: kasse@gessnerallee.ch

Newspaper subscription at: zeitung@gessnerallee.ch

We wish you a good time - full of care.

The Gessnerallee team

PS: The job advertisement for an internship in communications at Gessnerallee from February 2025 is open until 19 December. To the job advertisement

PPS: The third round of the ‘Hecht Jetzt - das Try Out Festival’ at the Theater am Hechtplatz is also open. From 11 - 14 June 2025, four artists will be allowed to present a try-out of their production on stage and receive feedback from the audience. The call for entries is aimed at individuals or groups from the performing arts whose productions will premiere after autumn 2025 and who can present a try-out of their production in June. The closing date for entries is 19.1.2025. Further information