Inclusive Theatre
Freie Bühne München

In the months leading up to the Sierra Leone assignment, I accompanied Freie Bühne München, an inclusive theatre, in another independent project during their production of "The Master and Margarita" – from the very first rehearsals through to the premiere.

After decades of colour photography, this time it was to be a classic black-and-white reportage once again, just as at the beginning of my career as a photographer.
However, it soon became clear that many of the photographs derived much of their impact from their use of colour. I therefore decided to create both a monochrome and a colour series in parallel.

The rehearsals themselves initially made up only the smaller part of the photographs. What mattered more to me was capturing the little moments on the sidelines, the atmosphere, and above all the interaction among the performers.

The routine was always the same: first the group danced to loosen up, followed by movement exercises, and then a ball game, before everyone gathered at the big meeting table to go through the details of the upcoming rehearsals.

Whether it was Lena’s absorbed air-violin playing during the dance, her constant tender squabbles with Elisa, the forceful instructions from director Martin Kindervater, or Ella joyfully dancing with delight at her newly arrived werewolf gloves – all of these offered wonderfully intimate moments.

The final rehearsals took place at the venue itself, the Pasinger Fabrik cultural centre in Munich, which, with its intense colours, ultimately shifted my focus entirely to the stage.