Ten colourfully dressed performers stand and kneel on a stage with serious looks. Behind them hang screens with close-ups of faces and a table with a sound system stands at the right edge.
© Bea Borgers
Ten colourfully dressed performers stand and kneel on a stage with serious looks. Behind them hang screens with close-ups of faces and a table with a sound system stands at the right edge.
© Bea Borgers

Mexa

Pumpitopera Transatlantica

Tickets:

18 Euro (conc. 9 Euro, [k]-Karte 9 Euro)

Info

Content notes: Certain scenes thematise discrimination, border politics and drug abuse.
Possible triggers: Rapid light changes, fog, stroboscopes, loud music.

Past dates

Archive

Thursday

10/12/23

8:00 PM

Archive

Friday

10/13/23

8:00 PM

Archive

Saturday

10/14/23

8:00 PM

Mexa was founded in 2015 following outbreaks of violence in so-called homeless shelters in São Paulo. Since then, the collective of mothers, Black, trans and LGBTIQ* artists, theatre practitioners, and activists has been exploring relationships of proximity and distance across life and art, street and institution as well as politics and aesthetics through the performing arts. Now, they are going on an international tour for the first time. PUMPITOPERA TRANSATLANTICA revives pop music of the 1990s and combines personal stories with the material from “The Odyssey”. Today, the word “odyssey” stands not just for the journey of Odysseus but also the path and obstacles of every human being. But what if “The Odyssey” were named after the members of Mexa? What stories would be told? Where does a group formed by people experiencing homelessness return to? How do you go home if you don’t have one? Mexa experiment with the ancient epic, creating their own contemporary mythology in a glamorous and entertaining evening.

In front of a deep black background, a person whose outlines and clothes glow in orange and pink is sitting in a wheelchair. Their hands are folded in their laps and the person seems to be gazing wistfully into the distance. Their skin looks dark.
© Marcelo Mudou
A person with blond, shoulder-length hair, a bustier top and a skirt made of shiny fabric dances in pink-purple light. To the right are people filming her on mobile phones.
© Navis Fayaz
A group of people in shimmering metallic clothing can be seen. They are all bathed in purple-pink light. Three of the people are looking at one person who is standing with his back to the camera. A fifth person is standing in half-profile.
© Navid Fayaz
A racialised person with braids and a hat stands in the middle and looks directly into the camera. In the background you can see two other people dancing in a blur and behind them radiant lights on the wall.
© Navid Fayaz
Against a deep black background, the pink glowing outline of a person is seen from behind, dancing with his arms above his head. The person is wearing high-heeled disco boots, tight-fitting clothes and short hair.
© Marcelo Mudou
The dance floor is bathed in red light. A person is lying on his back on the floor in metallic clothing. You can see the feet and legs of other people. In the background, other people can be seen in a blur.
© Navid Fayaz

With: Mexa

Creation MEXA Dramaturgy and direction João Turchi Original concept Daniela Pinheiro Performers and co-creators Aivan, Alè Tradução, Anita Silvia, Daniela Pinheiro, Dourado, Patricia Borges, Tatiane Dell Campobello Video performer and video creation Laysa Elias Production director and visual concept Lu Mugayar Executive production Leonardo Birche Light design Luzco Soundtrack and sound design Podeserdesligado Costume design Anuro Anuro, Cacau Francisco Creation assistant Lucas Heymanns Vocal coach Mário Sevilio Choreographic score and body tuning Daniela Pinheiro Special thanks to Amy Letman, Alejandro Ahmed, Carol Mendonça, Duda Devassa, Dudu Quintanilha, Esponja, Francesca Tedeschi, Gabi Gonçalves, Guilherme Giufrida, Mamba Negra, Olivia Ardui, Ricardo Frayha.

In cooperation with Casa do Povo, Iranstorm Transform Festival and supported by LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture.

Sponsored by Claussen-Simon-Stiftung.

Supported by ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius as part of the ZEIT FÜR WELTTHEATER series.