The Magic Formula of Zurich

A political fantasy trip for ages 9 and up

By Stefan Kaegi

Winter after winter, the Schauspielhaus Zürich invites all generations to the theatre for a family play. On stage, adults in disguise act out fairy tales and legends. But what if children invent and act out their own stories? And what if they are inspired by the utopias and fictions of politics: the fairy tale of eternal growth, equal opportunities for all, security through gun ownership and border fences, a life on Mars. At a time when politicians are inventing fairy tales, perhaps children should be telling the reality.

Rimini Protokoll brings people between the ages of 9 and 13 onto the big stage. On the trail of the Federal Council in Bern, they find the magic formula and try out how a team governs collegially, and how, from the bottom up. As future leaders, they set off for luxury villas and illegal garbage dumps, factories and other hotspots of globalisation. They return as reporters for their generation. As messengers who report on the world in their own words in the theatre. On stage, they recreate the world as a film set in which small and large overlap and use musical instruments and miniature models to shoot a live journey into the unknown, a documentary fantasy game. The result is stage science fiction in which both children and adults see the future growing.

Concept & Direction: Stefan Kaegi
Stage: Dominic Huber
Music: Mara Miccichè
Video: Mikko Gaestel
Dramaturgy: Aljoscha Begrich
Theater pedagogy: Elo Göldi

Production: Schauspielhaus Zürich

The Magic Formula of Zurich

A political fantasy trip for ages 9 and up

By Stefan Kaegi

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