Chemnitz has courage

Off-theatre complex

Zietenstraße is one of the densely built-up main roads across the Sonnenberg. Behind house number 32, a small paradise for freelance artists is hidden between renovated and empty buildings. A sign above the door reveals that the Off-Theatre Komplex is located here. But who works behind the doors of Zietenstraße 32? We met with Heda Beyer, Mandy Knospe, Christian Feister and Kay Mothes, the creators of the Off-Theatre Komplex, and talked about freelance art and Chemnitz as a cultural capital.

You call yourselves Off-Theatre Complex. What is off-theatre?
Heda Beyer: I think in our case it means open above all. Open to experiments, open to new input. But also open to the fact that people from Chemnitz who have ideas and want to try something themselves can find a place where they can realise them relatively easily. But that doesn't just apply to theatre. It's also about combining different arts. Performing arts and visual arts, for example. Or performance and film.

What is the difference to a normal theatre?
Mandy Knospe: The first difference is that we don't have a permanent ensemble. At least not at the moment. Heda is an actress. Of course, she also performs her own plays at the complex. But we invite a lot of guest performances. We are a place for independent theatre makers. Here they find a place where they can perform.

You opened your doors to the independent theatre world on 18 September 2015. How did the idea of an open theatre in Chemnitz come about?
Heda Beyer: There was simply a lack of theatre in Chemnitz.
Mandy Knospe: Heda had told me that there was no place in Chemnitz that was suitable for theatre. The Weltecho does have theatre events from time to time, but the next day there's another party.
Heda Beyer: There were already independent theatres in Chemnitz. For example the Arme Theater. But these places were not so open that you could go there with your own team and get started. It was always an association that was involved there. But it wasn't open. With our concept, several organisations and artists can get involved. This makes it colourful and creates an exchange between the artists and they can influence each other. That way, we stay in dialogue and it doesn't become one-sided. So far it has worked wonderfully and has been well received.

Are the theatre groups and artists who come here all from Chemnitz or have you already built up a reputation in the surrounding area?
Heda Beyer : On the one hand, they are of course Chemnitz artists, but we also do a lot of international things - guest performances, collaborations and so on. Through the guest performances, we have of course made contact with people who keep coming back.

The Off-Theatre is located in the rear building of Zietenstraße 32, a cosy, small theatre hall that seats around 80 people. The walls are painted black and the stage is bathed in theatre light. The seats come from an old cinema. On 16 March, a performance from Italy, "Le Jardin", was shown in the complex. The off-theatre also has a lot to offer for children. On Sunday, 19 March, the play "Frau Meier, die Amsel", based on the children's book of the same name by Wolf Erlbruch, will be performed.

How did the four of you come together?
Kay Mothes: I've been a technician at the complex for about a year. The contact came about through Heda. We worked together on one of her theatre productions. She then approached me a second time and said: "Something is being created here and we need someone for the technology." So I joined in.
Christian Feister: Heda and I know each other from the Weltecho. I worked there as a technician. We also met at a theatre production.
Mandy Knospe: Christian and I know each other from BEGEHUNGEN, and I know Heda from the former Kunstkombinat on Palmstraße. We're all part of the Chemnitz subculture and that's how we know each other.

Why are you on the Sonnenberg of all places?
Mandy Knospe: When we were talking about the theatres and stages in Chemnitz, it was exactly at the time when my partner bought this house in Zietenstraße. I knew that there was this rear building here and thought that it would be quite suitable. It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough for the first steps.
In the meantime, we are already realising that we are reaching our limits. Especially when it comes to guest performances and the size of the stage. A lot is feasible, but a lot is not. It's a good start to bring independent theatre to the people of Chemnitz. There hasn't been anything like this before and the audience has to accept it. It's already working quite well. I think we're on the right track.

What are your plans for the future?
Mandy Knospe: There is a cooperation with Klub Solitär e. V. The association organises a residency programme in which one visual and one performing artist come to Chemnitz and create a project here. The visual art will be installed in the public space, the performing art will be in the complex. What exactly that will look like is then part of the two artists' project.
Heda Beyer: Taupunkt e. V. is still planning workshops for Chemnitz residents with Chemnitz residents. We already had good experiences with this last year. We are also planning international projects.

In May, for the 22nd Chemnitz Museum Night, the southern Sonnenberg is the special offer. The Komplex team will also be taking part. "All of the cultural institutions from Augustusburger Straße up to Fürstenstraße will be offering a special programme," says Mandy Knospe.

What are you planning for Museum Night?
Kay Mothes: Last year, we celebrated our first birthday of the complex after the summer break. Stefan Oertel is a musician with a visual impairment. At the time of the birthday party, he was looking for performance opportunities to gain stage experience. He plays guitar, cajon, rattles - all sorts of things. And preferably all at the same time. He had his stage debut at this party. He was incredibly well received and was immediately asked for further projects. Now he's back again for the Museum Night.
Heda Beyer: And that brings us right back to the question of what distinguishes us from a municipal theatre: We can simply be flexible. When we see that people have done a workshop here, there's a moment of "What's next?". We try to react very quickly and enrich each other. Getting to know new people and creating new opportunities.

What is your audience like? Do the people of Chemnitz like coming to the theatre?
Kay Mothes: I'm increasingly noticing that many people are just discovering the complex. Many are curious and come to have a look. Once they're here in the back courtyard, they're really enthusiastic.
Christian Feister : The response is very varied. Sometimes it's really difficult to get people to come here. But sometimes we are also surprised at who comes and how many come to us. It alternates. But we don't necessarily offer the easiest programme. It's quite a demanding programme.

You are one of 54 Chemnitz initiatives supporting the city's bid to become the Capital of Culture. Why is that?
Christian Feister: We believe that the bid is a great opportunity for Chemnitz to improve its cultural structures. That the spectrum that is visible in Chemnitz can be expanded. The application alone can initiate things. Just thinking about Chemnitz as the Capital of Culture, making the claim of wanting to win this title, moves a lot in the minds of the people of Chemnitz. And that in turn leads to us being able to expand the concept of culture and Chemnitz being recognised as a city of culture.
The exciting effect of the bid is the European idea. And we try to bring this to Chemnitz through our programme. Many of our guest performances are from other countries. In this way, we want to provide new impetus here in Chemnitz and broaden horizons.
Mandy Knospe: I think it's important that Chemnitz simply networks more with the outside world. People need to be brought to Chemnitz so that an exchange can take place. The application will hopefully lead to a greater appreciation of culture among the population.
Heda Beyer: I think it's really great that the city has the courage to take this step and wants to have this title. Many people have a bad image of Chemnitz. It's time to correct this image.

Where do you see the complex in 2025?
Christian Feister: : I hope that by 2025 we will be firmly anchored in Chemnitz's cultural landscape and that we won't just be standing alone, but working together with many artists and organisations. Be it municipal or other independent cultural institutions. Not only here in our space on the Sonnenberg, but also in other spaces and places in the city.
Heda Beyer: For me, as an independent artist, that's a very difficult question. I'm sometimes drawn here and sometimes there. I would be delighted if the international collaboration continued to grow. That would make me very happy.