Nach dem Ende

In the organizer's words:

Have you ever seen a dead person? Probably not, because nowadays old age and illness are usually outsourced to hospitals and care facilities. As a result, we have also lost the familiarity of dealing with the end of life. We turn to a funeral home and then people like Malin Baßner or Sofie Ruffing arrive, whose job it is to care for the dead body. In "After the End", they take to the stage as performers, bringing their perspective closer to the audience and working against the fear of contact with death.

They talk about washing the deceased, tending to wounds, dressing, applying make-up and placing them in the coffin. But they also talk about their friendship, special encounters and insights. BKM Performance takes a radical and sensual approach to the subject. "After the End" explores contradictions: between sensitivity and scurrility, between documentary material and fictional, eerie elements, between transience and eternity.

The project encourages viewers to question their own relationship to death. Have I ever seen, touched or cared for a dead body? Who do we leave this task to - and why? Death often transforms loved ones into feared bodies. Yet dealing with the deceased can be an important part of the grieving process. In many cultures, it is a fixed ritual. Those who spend time with the dead or take part in caring for the dead often describe this as healing and understandable. BKM Performance aims to reduce fears by sharing knowledge, making processes visible and encouraging discussion. This enables people to make good decisions in an emergency. The project provides insights into the practice of caring for the dead as well as into otherwise hidden places in the city and creates space for exchange and questions.

BKM Performance has been a theater collective for site-specific, participatory and innovative projects since 2018. The management team includes Liliane Koch, Ruby Behrmann, Theresa Mielich and Katharina Becklas. The collective works in dialog with experts who also participate as performers.