THE THING
(DAS DING)

By Philipp Löhle
Translated by Birgit Schreyer-Duarte
Directed by Tanja Pagnuco

New Diorama Theatre 2014

The play follows the journey of a cotton ball that travels around the world: from the fields in Africa to being made into a t-shirt in China to being sold in Europe and being then recycled and shipped back to Africa. Throughout this journey, we encounter different characters such as a married couple in Germany, a touring photographer, two Chinese entrepreneurs, a Swiss development aid worker and an African farmer. They are all delicately linked by threads so slight they are initially invisible, but as the play unfolds, we start seeing a globe-spanning network of interdependencies. The thing (the cotton ball) looks on amazed at the wheelings and dealings of humanity. 

Das Ding offers a moving and humorous observation on globalisation. 

Assisting director Tanja Pagnuco, I was responsible for extensive pre-rehearsal research, advising on translation issues and organising the casting process. During the rehearsal period I led warm up sessions and other exercises with actors: in rehearsals, we joined a text-based approach to a more European theatre approach that incorporates devising into play-text, improvisation and techniques to trigger the actors’ playfulness, deconstructing the narrative to create images and moods. 

I lead rehearsals in the director’s absence, liaised with design team and organised tech rehearsals and get ins.
During the four week run at The New Diorama Theatre I noted shows and reported back to the director, guaranteeing a smooth run of the production.