A collaborative reconstruction of the least-watched video on the internet! This performance offers a portrait of 21st-century life—a lens through which we can peek into the living room of an unknown family and, in doing so, catch a reflection of ourselves. In a forgotten corner of the internet, the Gob Squad theater company discovered a humble home video capturing a family gathering somewhere on the edge of the Western world. The footage shows a party: a room full of people—family, friends, and even strangers—gathered around a karaoke machine. Together yet alone. Dressed head to toe in gold, the Gob Squad performers bring this fleeting moment to life, striving for the most faithful recreation possible. As the reconstruction unfolds, they search for meaning, reflect on the nature of true happiness, highlight their best qualities, and share their own personal stories—projecting themselves into that tiny fragment of history.
Western society is both alluring and isolating. It is heaven and hell. For some, its dazzling decadence is a nightmare; for others, it is a place they long to call home. It is an endless party for everyone—young, old, and everyone in between—and with a bit of luck, you might just find yourself there too.
Gob Squad is an international artistic collective based in Berlin and Nottingham, creating work at the intersection of theater, performance, film, and visual art since 1994. The group consists of British and German artists who collaborate on pieces characterized by their playfulness, improvisation, and audience involvement. Gob Squad’s projects often explore everyday life, pop culture, and political themes, emphasizing authenticity, collective creation, and the blurring of boundaries between stage and audience. Their work is known for its inventive use of technology—such as live video—and for capturing the present moment with both wit and depth. The group regularly performs at leading international festivals and prestigious cultural institutions. Some of their most well-known productions include Super Night Shot, Western Society, and War and Peace. Gob Squad continuously seeks new forms of collaboration and innovative ways to open theater to the contemporary world. At the 4+4 Days in Motion Festival, Gob Squad has appeared twice: in 2008 with Gob Squad’s Kitchen and in 2011 with Before Your Very Eyes.
“Gob Squad excel at dissecting the banalities of everyday life, piecing them together into a clever, moving, and often absurd mosaic of our digital existence.”
— Exeunt Magazine
Duration: +/- 1h 45 mins, no intermission
Concept: Gob Squad
Performed and Devised by: Johanna Freiburg, Sean Patten, Damian Rebgetz, Tatiana Saphir, Sharon Smith, Berit Stumpf, Sarah Thom, Bastian Trost, Simon Will
Stage management on tour: Katharina Joy Book, Anna Zrenner
Sound Design: Jeff McGrory
Live Sound Mix: Torsten Schwarzbach
Video Design: Miles Chalcraft
Costumes: Emma Cattell, Kerstin Honeit
Realisation Set Design: Lena Mody
Technical Coordinator and Light Design: Chris Umney (Max Wegner)
Dramaturgy and Production Management: Christina Runge
Artistic Assistant: Mat Hand (Lena Mody)
Interns: Sarah Sarina Rommedahl, Sophie Galibert
Gob Squad Management: Eva Hartmann
Tour Management: Mat Hand
“Western Society” was originally commissioned by and developed with support from Center Theatre Group, Michael Ritchie, Artistic Director, Los Angeles, CA.
The World Premiere Production of “ Western Society” was originally produced by HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin, Spielart Festival Munich and brut Vienna. A House on Fire co-production; with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union.
With financial support: the Kulturverwaltung Berlin.
