Season start 2025/26 – (Un)gentle Learning

«Muskeln aus Plastik – a crip-queer reading»
Kay Matter

The reading of Kay Matter's intuitive and moving debut invites chronically ill people and their allies to meet and talk in a relaxed setting.

  • Sun 14/09 16:30 – 18:30

    Nordflügel

Copyright: Bahar Kaygusuz

Together with Kay Matter, we invite you to a crip-queer community reading. In «Muskeln aus Plastik», Kay deals with chronic illness and transness – and the way our society thinks and talks about «healthy» bodies. Because Kay has a serious crush – and a serious illness. Every crush is followed by a crash, every fluttering heart is followed by migraines, making out is followed by a pain flare. While Kay tries to escape the consequences of Long Covid, only the longing for Aron and the desire for a strong, androgynous body bring relief.

The question arises again and again: Is there even a language for pain? Beyond all formal and intellectual traditions, Kay Matter examines the thin line between pleasure and pain and imagines new forms of care, intimacy and queer resistance.

The reading is not only a space for listening, but also for sharing lived experiences. Therefore, the event is aimed in particular at chronically ill and disabled people and their allies. The subsequent conversation will be moderated by Noa Winter, dramaturge at Gessnerallee and a crip-queer themselves.

Schedule

4:30 pm Relaxed entrance
5:00 pm Reading
5:45 pm Break (15 minutes)
6:00 pm Conversation with the audience
6:30 pm End of the event

Information on accessibility and language 

  • The event takes place in German spoken language.

  • The reading is designed as a Relaxed Event. Visitors are welcome to make noises, move and leave the space at any time.

  • We invited audience members to bring their own hot water bottles and other comfort items. A kettle will be provided.

  • All audience members are required to do a Covid test and wear a mask during the event. Tests and FFP2-masks will be provided at the entrance. We ask people with symptoms of a contagious illness to stay home.

  • Content Notes (inconclusive): talking about lived experiences of chronic illness (especially Long Covid), disability and transness, including dysphoria, trans hostility and ableism

Ticket allotment accessibility

In order to give chronically ill and disabled people priority access to the event, half of the 50 tickets are only available by e-mail reservation. We want people with less energy to have enough time to buy a ticket - so we want to prevent a quick sell-out. People who identify themselves as chronically ill and/or disabled, or their assistants/companions, please write an email to barrierefreiheit@gessnerallee.ch with the number of ticket and, if needed, access requirements (wheelchair space, beanbag) to reserve your seats.

The tickets are payable at the box office on the day of the event. (CHF 5 / 10 / 15).

About the artists

Credits

Gessnerallee season start 2025/26

The programme focus «(Un)gentle Learning» will take place at Gessnerallee from 11 to 21 September to mark the start of the season. It will explore processes of transition, mourning and learning.

«Stars Are Never Sleeping, Dead Ones and the Living»

Theres Indermaur and Stephanie Müller
11/09 - 15/09
18/09 - 21/09
Room installation

«Fourth Eye, 4.40 AM»
Ceylan Öztrük
11/09, 13/09, 14/09, 15/09
Performance

«Pas Moi»
Diana Anselmo

(in LIS, Italian sign language)
12/09, 13/09,
Lecture-Performance

«Muskeln aus Plastik - a crip-queer reading»
Kay Matter
14/09
Reading

«Neutralitätstheater – The myth of Switzerland on the table!»
Hannan Salamat and Fatima Moumouni
18/09
Talk, Performance

«Sleight of Hand»
Jo Bannon

(in German spoken language)
19/09
Installation, Performance

«Sleight of Hand»
Jo Bannon

(in English spoken language)
20/09
Installation, Performance

«When the Calabash Breaks»
Tiran Willemse and Melika Ngombe Kolongo (Nkisi)
20/09, 21/09
Open-Air-Performance, Musik, Dance

«KOMMANDO AJAX»
Cemile Sahin
21/09
Reading

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