Specials

Import Export
Kollektiv

Photo: Ana Lukenda
ACTING CLUB
Depot
The Import Export Kollektiv is the young ensemble at Schauspiel Köln. The diverse ensemble joints together 28 young people in the age of 14 to 34 coming from varied environments and having different experienced-based knowledge. The Import Export Kollektiv was already founded in 2008 as a free youth-theatre ensemble in Köln Mühlheim under the artistic direction of Bassam Ghazi. Since 2015, the ensemble belongs to Schauspiel Köln and produces each season a new piece under professional circumstances. For workshops, rehearsals and performances, the young artists of the collective are getting financial compensation.

We carry on import and export trade with history and stories. In democratic and artistic processes, we negotiate our positions towards hybrid identities and diversity, racism, sexism, classism, social injustice… At the interface between personal and collective experience, we examine with our made biographies narrative fragments and histories in a society of many. In our theatre pieces and performances, we open up post-migration, post-colonial, intersectional and discrimination critical perspectives. To us, it is all about representation and about the question which histories is told by whom. We care about publicising different and empowering stories than the stereotypical »single story« about marginalised groups and communities. Our stories tell about solidary, diverse, and many-voiced society. We counter the bleak, mono-cultural and nationalist claims of separation and hatred with a clear statement.

We see our artistic processes as an emancipatory theatre and educational work. We offer different workshop formats to other groups in a peer-to-peer style. We develop according to your event a performative theatre-in-the-round.

In 2019, the collective was invited with the piece REAL FAKE to the Theatertreffen der Jugend in Berlin, as well as to the Bundestreffen Jugendclubs an Theatern in Stuttgart.

CONCORD FLOARAL, another production of the collective, was nominated in 2019 for the Theatertreffen der Jugend. Meanwhile, three young artists were accepted at public drama schools.

direction: Bassam Ghazi · Mirjam Pietchamoa
Saliha Shagasi
dramaturgy: Henrike Eis · Julia Fischer