Literary events tend to be much of a muchness: an author reads from their book, explains a bit about the background and takes questions from the audience. Show Don’t Tell Show, the talk event at the Volksbühne’s Roter Salon next Wednesday (16.11.2022), is a very different beast. The latest in a series of literary evenings from Kabeljau und Dorsch (who describe themselves as a “label for young literary mediation”), the event invites two real-life protagonists and one professional author onto the stage. Then, in front of the audience, the trio lay the grounds for a new story on a particular theme, which next week is “Verzicht” (renunciation, or doing without). On author duty is Mathias Nawrat, whose latest book, “Reise nach Maine”, tells the story of a writer who travels to New England with his East European mother.
For his protagonists, Nawrat is joined by Denis Newiak, a Media Studies academic who apparently wants to give it all up to make reality TV on Mars, and Alexandra Weichesmiller, a business coach who specializes in helping burned-out executives exit their high flying jobs. After hearing from the pair, Nawrat will begin to come up with a plot, narrative and characters in real time. As an audience member, you’ll see first hand how authors practice their craft. For Writing Rule No.1, we’d refer you to the title: show don’t tell.
Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Schiefer Film; Jonas Huhn; Kabeljau & Dorsch; Volksbühne
Show Don’t Tell Show (16.11.2022, 20h) at the Roter Salon, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Linienstr.227, 10178 Berlin–Mitte; map
@volksbuehne_berlin
@kabeljauunddorsch
