She She Pop / Sandbox Collective

In WAIT TO BE SEATED, two feminist collectives from Bangalore and Berlin come together to explore the laws of hospitality. Diplomatic protocol – its awkward observance as well as deliberate transgression – serves as a template for an exchange in which we become hosts or guests to one another, and thus a challenge, a promise, a burden.

»Atithi Devobhava« means »The guest is like a god« and is often said in India. »The door is open, dear guest, come in« is a famous phrase in Karnataka. We can't think of a comparable inviting proverb in English. Beyond such grand gestures, there is a dense network of rules and codes, especially in diplomatic and transnational contexts, in which hosts or guests can easily become entangled. These rules are not comprehensively written down anywhere, they are contradictory and change depending on the person, place, time, and context. And yet, a good host will not violate any of them! Who do these unwritten laws protect, and from what? What remains when we leave formality behind? What if gender, race, and colonial history are also sitting at the table? What can we actually demand of each other – and how do we say no?

WAIT TO BE SEATED creates a journey of hospitality in a remote nowhere, with a dining table, red carpet, and dance floor. As two groups, we approach each other from opposite sides, cautiously but relentlessly, meet in the middle, and open up a new horizon.

The premiere will take place in Bangalore in December 2025, followed by a tour of Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands in spring 2026.