Our Safe Space

We all know: Secure spaces enable possibilities for development. Because of that, the Queer Theater Collective works on a continuous creation of safe spaces together with it’s participants. This builds the necessary room to develop the current play.

But what does “safe space” mean anyway?
Why is it necessary to continue working on it constantly?
And for who is this “safe space” meant to be?

We want to answer these questions in today’s post.

On top of that, we’d like to invite you to get a ticket to one of our performances. The play “Tanz der Krähen” (ger. for “The Crows Dance”) shows a queer ghost story and is being held on the 24th and 25th february 2023, always at 20:00 ‘o clock in the venue Theater im Depot in Dortmund.

How can a theater rehearsal become a safe space?

In theory, it is easier to create a safe space within smaller groups. The Queer Theater Collective consists of people being ready to listen to each other, stay open for communication and the development of various scenes, but also leave room for things to evolve.

Where do we have a need for security? And how can this be given to us?

These were questions we asked ourselves together right at the beginning. More about the beginning of our work towards our first theater play can be read in our post “Queer Theater Collective: Production started!”.

It is of utmost importance to continue asking those questions. Not only a safe space for every participant needs to be made, but also a secure room where the play “Tanz der Krähen” and the queer ghost story revolving around it’s characters can be displayed in a performative and authentic way.

Questions and even more questions

The first step is taken by all people by themselves at each rehearsal: “What do I need to feel safe?”

This question holds a huge meaning and can be asked repeatedly at every date. It specifically revolves around the here and now. And it leads to another question: “What can I do, to make others feel safe that are probably in a similar place in their lives right now?”

It is important to not stop here. Children question their parents endlessly from an early age on, to understand the world and all around them. Even though that is the case, a lot of people stopped asking questions as they grew older. We’re used to having to present solutions instead of asking questions at some point. In the same way that we’re also used to a specific socially accepted behavior within a specific setting. The Queer Theater Collective however starts asking questions again. And given that, we question the behavior known by so many people to be “right” within a rehearsal or other groupings and constellations. Or where we need more space for individual needs and boundaries. To answer questions, however, is not always easy. To understand where our own limits lie and what boundaries need to be respected with other people is also a unique process. To reflect on our own emotions and being at the end of a rehearsal sounds easy, but it often comes with a lot of practice. For this, a safe respectful atmosphere free of discrimination is needed.

These questions are not only being answered by our participants, but also from the point of view of the characters within our play. Because the people in our queer adventure also have their own identities, needs and boundaries.

We create theater together

Within our rehearsal, this entails repeated active listening and making room for each other. At the beginning, we always start by coming together and sharing our pronouns. People change and evolve constantly and due to that, every person is able to choose their preferred way to be addressed anew whenever needed.

To ensure that all people present can feel as secure as possible, small changes are also made to our surroundings. And we are not only talking about regular fresh air, but also gender neutral toilets. While the Queer Theater Collective is often bound by the given location, we still neutralize bathroom signs by covering them neutrally where possible and open all parts of the location for all our participants.

On top of that, the beginning and end of every rehearsal are marked by a round of communication to reflect on current thoughts and events. At the end of the day, topics that are in need to be talked about can be voiced and worked through. But even then, thoughts and experiences may linger. Because of that, the possibility to voice our respective needs and topics is also given at the start of the next rehearsal to make space for these needs, no matter if they have been voiced before or not.

This is a work in progress not only between the participants of each rehearsal, but also the themes inspiring or influencing the performance. Through the process of our rehearsals and the design of our theater play, the people present also look deeply into the needed sensibility to meet other cultures and work through cultural appropriation. A responsible and respectful approach towards these issues is regarded as a topic of high importance. Because of that, we also included two people acting as diversity guides and helping us actively through our in depth research.

This research is also needed to formulate the play “Tanz der Krähen”, because it may also include identities that do not align with the people displaying them. Just like the respectful handling and display of influences from various different cultures.

What can be expected by our viewers?

Of course it is a certain challenge to create a room to include as much people as possible. The most important thing in that moment are personal decisions, because in the end, we know ourselves best and are the only ones being able to decide if viewing a theater play is a good idea.  This has also been taken into account by the Queer Theater Collective together with the participating artists and the people playing a part in creating the play.

Because of that, content notes are made public beforehand, to make it easier for people interested into the theater play to make a choice that is right for them.

Of course those needs can change from one moment towards the next one during the experience. Due to that, we want to make clear that also your changing boundaries are always accepted. If viewers are confronted with their personal limits during the play, they are welcome to leave the venue at any given time and also return to their seats at a later moment. We actively support all viewers in the perception of their own limits and boundaries and request the understanding of all other people at the venue during the play, to treat leaving and returning to the viewer section as a normal thing.

A decision like this is respected and accepted as a personal right, and the artists know that no negative meaning is hidden behind a choice to leave or return to the venue.

On top of that, during the days of the performance, a set of programmes (ger.: “Programmheft”) can be acquired for free in german, including an english inlay whenever needed or wanted. On top of that, our flyers in German, English, French and Arabic may still be offered for grabs on site (while stocks last) to give as many people as possible access to our offered information.

During the evening, we will inform viewers about scenes including flashing lights. Feel free to contact us beforehand digitally to resolve any other questions, or talk to our members on the day of the performance at the venue.

There will be disinfectant dispensers on site and we ask everyone to keep a little bit of space between them and the other people in line.

The venue itself, the “Theater im Depot” in Dortmund is fully accessible. The central hall, theater, cinema and Depothek can be reached via wheelchair as well, and an accessible and all-gender toilet exists on site.

We’re hoping to see you on the 24th or 25th february 2023 and looking forward to your experience of our performance!

Get in contact!

All requests and interest in practice dates and/or productions of the Queer Theater Collective are welcome! Feel free to send any inquiries through our contact form! 
We look forward to hearing from you!

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Due to the recommendation of the German Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, we decided to use neutral speech and whenever gendered speech is necessary, use a star to indicate inclusive gendering.

More information about the recommendation of the “DBSV” can be found here (German).

© Queeres Theater Kollektiv, queerestheater.de 2022 | All rights reserved, especially on texts, unless stated otherwise.

Image by Davidbenito (https://stock.adobe.com/de/contributor/209283247/davidbenito), individualized by Faehe Project