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Shenzhen Playback Theatre by Couch Potatoes
June 3, 2022 @ 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Playback Theatre is a unique form of improvisational theatre in which audience volunteer real stories and see them played back on the spot.
About this event
EVENT FLOW
You are invited to bring a photo that represents your immigrant life in Shenzhen – >> You may volunteer to share your story behind the photo – >> See your memory reenacted on stage by improv actors – >> Enjoy the Photography Exhibition of Air Pineapple – >> Have a taste of photographers’ perspective of the theme or their inspirational story ; )
IMPROV THEME | AIR PINEAPPLE
“Air Pineapple” originated in Latin America. It does not rely on root supply and can grow lush in the air. The wave of immigration to the southern China in the late 1980s gave birth to the original rootless form of Shenzhen as a city of immigrants – Shenzhen people are mostly rootless, wondering and floating. The rootless Shenzhen immigrants have reached some kind of implicit connection with the Air Pineapple.
STORY | BRING A PHOTO TO SHARE
This time, we invite you to bring a photo to the scene and share a memory of your Shenzhen immigrant life with us. This photo preserves the temperature of your life experience that is unique to you. This photo means something to your “Shenzhen immigrant” journey. This photo hides a sincere story behind it. This story used to be very private. Even though most people may have experienced it with deja vu, they will not pause to listen, to pay attention, and to empathize.
And at the scene, you are invited to bring your own photo to tell the story. Couch Potatoes Playback Theatre will improvise your story on the stage. When you “throw” your true story to others to think and interpret, you become a “closely related bystander”, as if watching another self in a parallel time and space, and your emotions and senses are reopened .
If you are not ready to open yourself up, it doesn’t matter. You can listen to the stories of different “Shenzhen Immigrants”. Between stories, there seems to be a dialogue, or a subtle flow.
TROOP | COUCH POTATOES PLAYBACK THEATRE
We are an international Playback Theatre improv troupe based in Shenzhen. The actors come from China, Germany, Russia, Canada, Iran, Ukraine, etc. Like the name of the troupe, we are 🥔 🛋️ >> Couch Potatoes, interpreting different life stories with a laid back attitude, and responding to the plots thrown by the audience in time with the speed of Yes And spirit.
Playback Theater is an improvised performance method that emerged in the United States in the late 1970s. Couch Potatoes Playback Theatre adheres to the principle of “let everyone speak for themselves”, and wants to create an open and non-judgmental dialogue space, so that everyone can explore themselves and others in stories, find resonance from similarities, and understand our differences.
Unlike the previous experience of watching dramas, there is no predetermined script for the performance of Playback Theatre. Under the guidance of a conductor, audience share their own feelings or experiences on the spot, and the actors and musicians immediately used simple and systematic performance forms ( contact improvisation, classical music, shade projection, short poem, light comedy) to present the story.
WHO IS COUCH POTATOES?
Christoph Yew 👇
I have been performing and teaching Playback Theatre and Improv across Asia since 2012. Combining the humor, performance skills, and musical talents, I love creating innovative forms of stage performances that bring the stories of the audience to life. Fun fact: I prefer learning new things via self-study as I believe learning any new skills really happens only in your head. I taught myself Chinese, programming, violin, financial analysis, and even got two Masters degrees because I never stop learning.
John Ottmann👇
For the past 30 years, I have been committed to the field of Dance, Theatre and Arts Education. I have had the wonderful opportunity to perform professionally as a ballet dancer, contemporary dancer, and actor on international stages. I have always been passionate about mentorship, and so also worked as a teacher, coach, rehearsal director, artistic director and dramaturge for performing arts schools, professional companies and productions across Canada. Currently, I am a Theatre Arts teacher at ISNS in Shenzhen, enjoying sharing my love of of arts with students here in China. I feel so lucky to have met the Couch Potato co-creators and to be learning new things and to perform Playback Theatre with these wonderful people.
Mia ZHENG👇
Ni Hao! Originally I am from a Hakkaness city but I was raised in Guangzhou since my mom is a Cantanese, so I speak Hakkanese, Cantonese, Mandarin and English. I have been living in Guangzhou for about 25 years until I moved to Shenzhen at the end of 2020. Being unemployed, I was exploring the fun in the jungle of improv, and Kuan Ki Do, and coding, and bachata, and contact improvisation, etc. Till I finally landed myself a proper job in Tencent, I quit other hobbies except sticking to act on the stage of playback theatre.
Annie👇
I am the only child in the family. Because of the pandemic, I haven’t seen my family for more than 2 years. I am missing them so much and now channeling my energy into my work and my improv career. Coach Potatoes becomes my another home where I am pleased to be a part of. I am also an actress in Paradox Theatre. Before I moved to Shenzhen, I was a lawyer. Now I am choosing the different path, and encountering many new chapters in my life.
Alireza 👇
Heyyyy! I’m Alireza, and you can call me Ali. Being an easy going and open-minded person, I got myself into playback in hope of experiencing a new kind of 1001 nights’ stories. Besides, I’m a fan of electric guitars and compatriot of Persian cats. I love to travel, make random videos and travel again. Anyway, if you see me nearby, come and say hi as I’ve got more things to share with you!
Valentyn 👇
I am a Pianist. I have performed in Shenzhen Concert Hall for three times. It’s very interesting for me to work with improv actors, as they are unpreditably comedic and yet slightly dramatic, which is totoally different than the super strict and structured classical music.
WHAT YOU WILL EXPECT?
During performance we usually see an emerging thread – common themes or issues that enable us all to explore fresh, potentially surprising connections or differences between us.
Couch Potatoes, an international playback team from Shenzhen, China, are getting ready for their next Playback Theatre show. Share your stories and see them re-enacted on stage.
Be ready for a truly comedic and dramatic experience.
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