CDH is delighted to announce a call for actors, ensemble and production team to participate in the Faust Shop 2.0 AI performance, ‘Faust Shop: Discover your Artificial Double’. The performance, which will be delivered at a public library as part of the Cambridge Festival, is organised and created by Alex Mentzel (CDH Associate) and Dr Annja Neumann (CDH Postdoctoral Fellow) and will re-stage two scenes from Goethe’s Faust, transposed into an AI Winter. Please find full details of the call below and contact Alex (aam86@cam.ac.uk) if you are interested in joining.
Faust Shop 2.0 AI Performance: Join us in re-staging 2 scenes from Goethe’s Faust transposed into an AI Winter
Created by Dr Annja Neumann and Alex Mentzel.
About
Faust is not dead, but AI is. A limited-engagement exclusively staged for the Cambridge Festival to be performed at the end of Lent Term on March 16th 2024 between 3-5pm in a public library.
Faust Shop 2.0 aims to bring AI into the Faust age. Being cured of the knowledge drive Faust strives to be fully immersed in the physical world; Faust longs to connect to humans and explores what it is that only humans can do. Faust Shop 2.0 re-thinks what it means to be human through new experiments with AI. The production explores the liberation potential of emerging technologies.
This is your chance to work hands-on with augmented reality projections, motion-capture (Mocap) suits and software, and Performance as Research (PaR) techniques in a low time-commitment project that focuses on the Homunculus from Faust as an artificial, multi-dimensional human created by collective AI.
We are seeking performers, movement practitioners, and digital/tech designers and a production manager to join our site-specific performance. At this time, we will not be able to reimburse for travel, accommodation, or rehearsals/performances and are looking for Cambridge-based participants.
Key Dates
Performance
- 16 March 2024, 15:00-17:00 (1 performance, open to the general public) at Cambridge Central Library followed by a public talk on anti-computing and digital futures by Professor Caroline Bassett
Rehearsal Dates and Time Commitment
- First Meeting and Allocation of Roles, February 7th, 15:00-17:00, Magdalene College: An overview of the production timeline, introductory workshop, and mini-“auditions” to allocate performance roles
- Primary Rehearsal Period, February 9th – March 7th: Specific dates TBD, ~4 rehearsals of ~1.5-2 hours
- Rehearsals in situ, March 9th-March 15th: Specific dates TBD, 2 evening rehearsals in the space; will likely include filming by University of Cambridge Communications.
If you are interested in joining, please contact Alex Mentzel (aam86@cam.ac.uk) and indicate your availability as well as interest in a performing, movement, or digital/tech production/production management role. We look forward to meeting you!
Find a PDF version of the call here.
Faust Shop initially premiered as a co-production between Cambridge Digital Humanities and the Cambridge School of Creative Industries at Anglia Ruskin University. ‘Space Popular’ – an Architecture, Design, and Media Studio – provided virtual stage sets. Dr. Kirk Woolford served as Artistic Technical Director. Dr. Eva Aymamí Reñé served as Movement Director and Dancer.
