Elisa Müller

Why did you decide to take part in this project? What is your interest within the engagement with the „reading format“?

I primarily work transdisciplinairy, which is also why I’m interested in working together with an author and the format of a reading. A reading could be read performatively as a solo performance of the author. They go onstage, introduce themselves etc. and read their text. I’m interested in solos, where one individual faces a mass of an audience. Such a reception of a reading could be the first attempt to stage it, to fill out the reading format with methods used in theater.

Elisa Müller is a trained actress and studied drama play. She works as an actress, performer, director, and university teacher. In 2008, she founded her own theatre / performance label müller***** with which she has developed sixteen performance productions in different transdisciplinary constellations and in coproduction with LOFFT.Leipzig, Ballhaus Ost Berlin, Fleetstreet Hamburg, Sophiensæle Berlin, LICHTHOF Hamburg, FFT Düsseldorf, Theaterdiscounter Berlin, FKT Bochum, FWT Köln, and Vierte Welt Berlin, funded by HKF (Hauptstadtkulturfonds), Senatskanzlei Berlin, Fonds Darstellende Künste, Rudolf-Augstein- Stiftung, NRW Landesbüro Freie Kultur, Landesministerium NRW.

Her latest production, “Desertieren” (“Deserting”), premiered in March 2016 at Vierte Welt Berlin and was shown at FWT Köln and Rottstr5/KUNSTHALLEN Bochum. Since 2014, she works under the label “Institut für Widerstand im Postfordismus” (“Institute for Resistance in Postfordism”): “Forschen am Widerstand im Postfordismus. Work in Progress”, a performance series between performance and discourse at Vierte Welt Berlin, and “Welche Revolution(en) werden wir erlebt haben werden? (Futur III)” (“Which revolution(s) will we have had experienced? (Future Pluperfect)”), intervention for ‘Art in Resistance’ at SPIELART Festival Munich 2015. Prize winner at the marketing contest of PAP Berlin with the concept “Revolutionsautomaten für Kreuzberg” (“Revolutionary machines for Kreuzberg”). 2014: “Formen der Trauer – ein transdisziplinäres Forschungslabor zwischen Kunst und Wissenschaft” (“Forms of Grief – a transdisciplinary research laboratory between art and science”), Theaterdiscounter Berlin.

Since 2013, regular work with adolescents: 2013/14: “In Frage gestellt” (“Questioned”), project with Hermann-Hesse-Schule Kreuzberg and Vierte Welt Berlin. 2015/16 “Wir proben den Widerstand” (“Rehearsing Resistance”) at Carl-von-Ossietzky-EuropaSchule. July/August 2014: month-long research residence about “eine Frage des Ehrgefühls – Widerstand im Postfordismus” (“a sense of honour – resistance in postfordism”) at Theater im Ballsaal Bonn, as part of “flausen+ – young artists in residence” by theater wrede. Since 2013 regular work as a teacher at UdK (departments of fine arts and dramatic arts). Since 2011 board member of “LAFT – Landesverband freie darstellende Künste Berlin e.V.” (“Association of the independent dramatic arts”) and member of the representative body of “Koalition der Freien Szene” (“Independent Scene Coalition”). Since 2016 member of “Rat für die Künste Berlin” (“Council of the Arts”).