A collaboration between Eva Meyer-Keller and Sybille Müller together with 2 children during the Performing Arts Festival: NATURA DÈI TEATRI in Parma. After 5 days of working with Elia and Rocco we presented our results in a performance-installation on the 9th of December 2007.

Together with the children we built a series of catastrophe models with simple everyday objects, e.g. matches, sugar cubes, salt, water, leaves, hairdryer, paper. Facts and fictions about catastrophes blend together. Already at the beginning of the model building stage the children know that the models are only finished when they are flooded, burnt or fallen apart. We would like to make the children aware that small delicate actions can have a big impact.

All the models are quite small: they fit for example in a shoe box or an aquarium. A video camera captures the small details of the model and transmits it to TVs for the spectators to see. The children work in teams to build the models: one who is responsible for light, one for water, one for wind, one for the camera. The roles will change from one model to the next. Each part is developed and then practised as a step-by-step choreography.

Here is a list of possible catastrophe modes:
explosion
Flood
Earthquake
Seaquake/ Tsunami
landslide
Volcanic eruption
Swarms of locusts
Blaze
Heavy thunderstorms, torrential rain, ferocious hail
Train crash
Typhoon, Hurricane
Snowstorms with up to 100km/h wind and -26º celcius
Terrorist attack
Avalanche
Nuclear reactor accident
Meteor impact

Performance by: Eva Meyer-Keller and Sybille Müller with Elia and Rocco
Sound: Jeff McGrory
Co-Production: Performing Arts Festivals: NATURA DÈI TEATRI in Parma www.lenzrifrazioni.it
Thanks to all the people who gave us feedback.

Performances:
9th December 2007, Performance-Installation, NATURA DÈI TEATRI, Parma www.lenzrifrazioni.it

22. + 23. August 2008, Internationales Sommerfestival, Kampnagel, Hamburg www.kampnagel.de

2. + 3. June 2009
Stamsund International Theatre Festival, Lofoten www.stamsund-internasjonale.no

20. -22. November 2009
Hebbel-am-Ufer, Berlin www.hebbel-am-ufer.de

02. Juli 2010
Mugaxionan, San Sebastian, Spain www.mugatxoan.org