About pride between
the viewer and the performer
Out plays with the performer’s anticipations and the spectators’ expectations. When they take their positions in the theatre, their roles are clearly divided: the performer is there to show something, the spectator to see something. The performer makes a claim on the spectator’s attention and understanding; the spectator expects fascination. Out is testing how the spectator and the performer will act out their roles in a situation in which it is no longer clear what they can expect from each other. Ten performers get down on their knees and start playing the game of dog’s devotion “throw and fetch” with the audience. The game goes on as long as the audience is willing to play it.
“Via Negativa has succeeded in opening up a field in contemporary Slovenian theatre for which theatre in Slovenia will never be quite the same again.” (VEČER MARIBOR, 17.11.2008)
“What Via Negativa is trying to show, boldly and impertinently, since it dares to, is that the theatrical space is in equal measure filled by the performers as by the audience.” (RADIO 101 ZAGREB, 17. 10.2008)
“It is not entirely clear whose pride is being addressed here. Who is worse off: those who always catch the ball in the same way or those who always throw the ball in the same way?” (ZAREZ ZAGREB, 30.10.2008)