Espresso Encounters
Espresso Encounters moves between reality and fiction, the past and the present, authors and characters, observation and participation. It is a fantastic journey where an audience of 15 people submerges into everyday life which is subtly alternated by infiltrated actors.
Through the playful and imaginative point of view of a narrator who accompanies the audience as a voice coming from their headphones, people, streets, places and details are being (re-) discovered. The audience gradually dives more and more into the fantasy of this narrator, finally becoming the protagonists of it. At the same time, passers-by witness a silent theatre piece just by randomly sharing the public space with us.
The site-specific work of each adventure and the respective performances generate a creative energy and waves bonds between the people in the places we work in.
We invite local people, organisations, shops, cafés and bars to become a part of the adventure by participating with their properties and sometimes also with their presence.
“¿Espresso Encounters? – Playing. Never forget to play. And even better, in public space, where every corner can hold a (delirious) adventure. Shops, bars and squares. Walks, water and love letters. Another reality is possible, although you need to let go. Let go, let go.
When we were almost convinced that the street already had its perpetual script, stable and generic, Eléctrico 28 has something to say about that…”
Oriol Martí Sambola
“A playful city tour, arranged similar to an adventure or a journey of discovery. An outlook for spaces and bodies that one has never seen or noticed, or that have been forgotten, like the sky, a certain tree, a specific person and his or her bright or dark look. As travelers inside tailored thought machine, the audience (almost) flies above the pavement accompanied by the abysmal thoughts of a writer and other characters that also work in the underground and illuminate the fantasies of the population. Espresso Encounters is a magnifying glass that is given to the audience, making them detectives.”
Christina Lederhaas
Amposta
Amposta, October 2016
The Human Fish Pond (Chapter 8)
Many thanks to:
Paquita & Begoña from Xurrería El Canal, because you were willing to let us perform in your unique store room and cared for us with churros and café. To Nautalia Viajes because you let Eugeni work in your office. To Narcisa and Antonio because your windows made the rain possible. To the theatre school ETCA for the room and especially for putting us in contact with these precious people: Joan Sansano,the butcher, diver and the rain; Eva Giné, the pool noodle distributor that was gone with the wind; to Abi Garcia, the cheeky Smurfette and algae reciting Molière; Benjamí Franch, the innocent looking smurf and algae reciting Molière; Vanesa del Rio, the nacked woman and decadent director-mermaid; Jesús Ferré, the skater and fisherman who knew the way; Martí Marsal, the authentic postman; Laura Montañana, the brave Selma Aguado Sánchez. Thanks to Àlex Rodríguez, Guillem Duran, Jordi Forcadell and Lluís Martinez for your contribution to a Woody Allenesque ending. To Jord Princep and Bienve Borràs because you invited us to Amposta and were there for us all the time. To Jordi Durán for recommending Espresso Encounters. To Maite Subirats for the historic perspective on Amposta. To Vicenç and Correos Barcelona and for the continuous support. To Claudio Levati, again and againt, for his Titanic. To David Comuñas for filming us and maybe editing a video. To Carlos Parra for the sound. To Rafael Cañete for the minimalistic song and again to Jakob Rüdisser for the beautiful music you composed for this project.
Vila-real
Vila-real, May 2016
The Expedition, Part 2 (Chapter 7)
Many thanks to:
María Victoria, because La Casita de Mariola became our home and because you spoiled us with your biscuits and beautiful energy. To the confectioner Juan and the waitresses of Cafetería La Perla for providing a great last stage, laughter, cakes and orchatas. To Nautalia Viajes because you gave Eugeni a place to work at. To La dulce tentación for being our bar at the end of the world. To EMTAC and Sergio Heredia for the space and the contact to the following unforgettable actresses and actors: Ana Torán, the postwoman and skeptical audience. Anna Claramonte, the bride with the beautiful voice. Vane Muñoz Marín, for your loud and clear voice that you lent to the penguin and that made you convince everyone else to participate in this adventure. Javier Marín, the angel. María del Prado Granada and María Jesús, the raving reporters. Pablo Granada and Jan Estebanell, the Antarctic skiers. Mari Pulido, our Merengue-addict. Thanks also to Manuel, Isabel and all the people working at Los Domingos for your inexhaustible love of life. Special thanks to Pau Ayet, who invited us to Vila-real and who has been organising this very important street art festival with passion and brain for many years. To our electric Mona Kospach, who decided to accompany us on this adventure and spread her good vibes all over. To Osoestudio Barcelona and Carlos Parra for the great sound. To Claudio Levati for the ship. To Correos Valencia and Barcelona for the equipment. To UGT (General Workers’ Union) for the bar that became our second dressing and storage room. To the perfumery at the corner for participating in our small feminist act of revolution. To Katrina Günther who designed the poster of our “real man” and to Lilli, who lent her beautiful face to it.
Poblenou
Poblenou, Barcelona, October 2016
The Expedition, Part 1 (6th chapter)
Many thanks to:
Jordi Solé Andrés for your passion, humour and great acting. You made us feel even more electric about this somehow crazy work. Thanks to our great actresses Mónica Mar, Giselle Stanzione, Gioveliz Galindo Calienes y Alice Hard. You were breathtakingly balancing on the border between reality and fiction. To Eirene, Vera Erenbourg and Valeria from the festival organization, to Carlos Parra, Jakob Rüdisser and Rafael Cañete Fernández for the music and the sound. To Sergio Sisques Pardos for the MP3 system and the technical support during this adventure. To Neus from La Núvia Pim Pam. We felt at home between your Antonias. It was the most elegant place we had ever had for that scene and it made even Procoppia change her style. To Balius Gastrococktelería, especially to Rosa and Daniel, for the fashionable last stage and the farewell gin tonics. To Lidia and the inhabitants of the PERE RELATS residency. You made it snow in Poblenou! To Fabio, who let us have our final chupitos at his bar Tierra del Fuego at the end of the world. To Natalia Luz and Tamara Fernández González for the access to your window and terrace. To Carlo-Mô & Mr. Di for the E-guitar-microphone and the praise (also on BTV). To Correos Barcelona and Claudio Levati for the equipment and to all the institutions that have supported us so far: Stadt Graz, Land Steiermark, Bundeskanzleramt Österreich (BKA) and our co-producers theaterland steiermark and TNT Terrassa Noves Tendències. Thank you Festival Escena Poblenou and its beautiful team for supporting us with this project as a second step of Embrions. Thanks to the festival core team Santi Rovira, Jordi Pérez, Ada Vilaró, Imma Romero and especially Sergi Estebanell who envisioned the platform Embrions.
Terrassa
Terrassa, October 2015
The Flood (5th chapter)
Many thanks to:
Pep Pla, who understood the project after only witnessing 15 minutes and decided to go for a co-production. To Jordi and Jaume from the Miele store for letting us have your storage room full of entrails of old washing machines and fridges. To Teatre Alegría, where the audience met in order to not go to the theatre. To the bakery Girabent, which became our office every morning. To Lavinia Hervás from CAET, who contacted our collaborating artists and helped us finding the necessary performance spots. To the Garrigó Sisters Bet and Anna for walking, running and making the neon scarves fly. To Quim, the butcher. To Giselle Stanzione, who made us doubt about her being part of this with her performance as postwoman and waitress at Petit Palau. To Albert Querol the fastest pool noodle-distributor ever. To Max Schade, the de-contextualized and emancipated surf-dad who was also our photographer and scene-painter. To Jaro for his amazed look out of the pram. To the Arxiu Històric for the pictures for the street gallery. To the supermarket Casa Evaristo for the trolley and for letting Eugeni ride your boat every day in his attempt to save our audience. To Claudio for the other boat with which he actually saved our audience. To Pau Gómez, our great help from the Festival for his hilarious appearance in tight swimming trunks and the extra hours you made for us. To Calçats Terrassa, the shoe store, for Pau‘s balcony. To the restaurant Olivetti for the windows of the rain. To Antonio and Juan, who welcomed us with open arms to their precious bar Petit Palau. Thank you for providing us with such a great stage and acting in a supporting role. To Vicenç and Correos Barcelona for equipping us with the authentic Correos props. To Osoestudio Barcelona, above all, to Carlos Parra, for the recordings, the soundscapes, the new music and the enthusiasm for the project. FALTA AMIGO CARLOS. To Ramon for the technical support in situ and the Go Pro recordings. Finally, thanks to Josep Vallhonrat, who told us his story of the Riuada from the year 1962 and became the main inspiration for this fifth chapter of Espresso Encounters.
Graz - Chapter 2
Gries, Graz, August 2015
Mathilde Moisant Reloaded (Chapter 3)
Many thanks to:
La Strada Graz for making possible a second part round of Espresso Encounters in Gries. To the bakery Zum Griesbäcker and all the inhabitants of the house on Griesplatz, especially to Michael, the owner of the Brötchenparadies. To ZEBRA, the intercultural centre for consultation and therapy, for the flight-controller-window and for the way you work. To the whole team of Postgarage (Günther, Guido, Anita, Michi, Wenzel, Vesna, Nazmi, Evi and all the others) for hosting our last scene and for the smokers’ bar as our dressing room. The Café Postgarage was our pleasant homebase on those scorching hot summer days.
Many thanks to our actresses and actors Robert and Aisha, who came travelling from Oberzeiring to be part of this adventure again. Your performance as dog and owner was outstanding. To Peter Harter for awakening memories of Kaisermühlen Blues with your performance as a drunk janitor. To Anna and Josep for being the pilot couple and the singing Santa Claus in boxers. To Jürgen, the head of the mafia of wishes and guitar player. To Roswitta, who finally kissed him. To Geraldine, the girl with the balloons. To Andi, the pink rabbit. To Max, our Batman and tree constructor. To Jan, our small Batman with the remote-controlled plane. To Jaro, our tiny Batman in the pram. To Carles who looked after Jan. To all the helpers from La Strada. To Rudolf Hubmann and the AV-Medienstelle Graz for the studio recordings. To Birn for the rabbit costume. To Billa for the trolley. To Nikola for the precious photographs.
Poble Sec, Barcelona
Poble Sec, Barcelona, April 2015
The Ravens and the windmill (Chapter 4)
Many thanks to:
Gonzalo at Bar La Campana; Vicenç for his special backstage at La Matalasseria del Poble Sec. It was a pleasure to spend so much time between your matresses, at your workshop with the mexican toilet. To Pau for the many contacts of potential participants. To Betma, the cowgirl on the scooter; to Joan Miquel, the soccer player who later became Batman; to Hamza Zine Zine for feeding the pidgeons and bearing some not very nice commentary. To Javier Fernández, the miller with the leather-jacket. To Cirila Targhetta, who held Batman’s hand and who supported us with her beaming smile at all times. To Jacynthe, for accompanying the tragic scenes on your accordeon. To the fruit-shop at Carrer Vilà i Vilà for storing our breadcrumbs. To Hostel Abrevadero for the room with a view for our eagle. To the owner of Bar Tropical, who, despite of her high heels, enjoyed the adventure so much. To the brothers at the supermarket Auto-Servei for the umbrellas after the cloudburst. To the girls from Carrer Vilà i Vilà for trusting so much as so borrow us the keys to their appartment. To Sala Hiroshima and Gastón Core for the interest in our project; to Juan Sebastian Honey Wuest for the video. To Carlos Parra for the studio recordings and, as always, to Jakob for the patience, the love, the music and the sound. And to Ottfried Preußler for his book Krabat, that served as an inspiration for this chapter of Espresso Encounters.
Graz - Chapter 1
Gries, Graz, December 2014
Mathilde Moisant (Chapter 3)
Vielen Dank an:
An die Bäckerei Zum Griesbäcker und alle BewohnerInnen des Hauses am Griesplatz, insbesondere aber an Michael aus dem Brötchenparadies. An ZEBRA für euer schönes Fluglotsenfenster und an das gesamte Team der Postgarage für das Zuhause unserer letzten Szene. Das Café war unsere Homebase an diesen klirrend kalten Wintertagen. Danke Günther, Anita, Guido für die Erlaubnis und Wenzel und Vesna fürs Servieren.
Vielen Dank Christian & Lisi, unserem kartenspielendes und schmusenden Pilotenpärchen, die schon bei Share Your Darlings mit dabei waren. An die Mäxe als Läufer & Biker, Weihnachtsmann & Batman. An Hanna, Mia und Oskar fürs Fliegen im Park. An Jürgen für deinen Singer-Songwriter-Auftritt und an Lisa Peer für das Video. An Siruan Darbandi für seine Stimme. An das Team der AV-Medienstelle Graz unter der Leitung von Rudolf Hubman. An den rasenden Reporter Johann Puntigam für die Hilfe beim Schneiden. An Christina Lederhaas für Feedback & Wortspende.
Embrions Poblenou
Poblenou, Barcelona, October 2014
A Lovestory in the Alps (Chapter 2)
Many thanks to:
Escena Poblenou for the visibility in the Catalan theatre landscape. To Can Felipa for the storeroom; Pedal Bike Rental for the bike helmets; El Timbal and Josep Cano for the terrace and the window as our stage. To Sergi and Ada for presenting and planning Embrions and to Lluis for helping us finding the performance spots.
Oberzeiring
Oberzeiring, October 2014
The Fellowship of the Cows (Chapter 1)
Many thanks to:
Peter Fasshuber, for your trust and for providing a space that allows for projects of this kind. To Robert Reif, Sissi and Aisha for driving the cows, organising intervention spaces and for the unforgettable performances on the street-stage of Oberzeiring. To the AV-Medienstelle for the studio recordings. To das andere theater for the rehearsal room and Share Your Darlings for the possibility to experiment with an audience that gave us some great feedback. To the cake-café Strasser, which was the perfect final stage for us.To Siruan Darbandi for his voice and to Johann Puntigam for his help and good mood during the audio editing. To Lilli Angermeier and Veza Fernández for your input and dedication during the first phases of creation (Share Your Darlings & Lendwirbel). To Jakob Rüdisser for the beautiful music and Mona Kospach for the spontaneity, caring and great acting. To Max Schade for the great pictures and to Katrina Günther for the collages, the posters, the flyers, the stickers, the trailer, the brochure and the web. To the tourist board Oberzeiring for Procoppia’s cave and Jacques & Oliva for the old radio.
