On a sensorial journey in the 21st Century, we enter into the concept: “I think , therefore I am.”
The starting point for the journey and context of Divine Comedy is the Placebo Concept of Quantum Physics. It’s about the thought that our brain produces, forming hell, vice or paradise right here and now. To experience all three states of being, we do not need to die, we are experiencing the worst here and now. This is also why Divina Comedia is so much needed and necessary for this time, not the idea of the afterlife but the idea of staying here and now. We are all well aware of all three states of mind, within ourselves and in the world. Hell, Purgatory and Paradise are states of consciousness. That’s why Dante talks about the afterlife because consciousness is the only intangible substance that goes with us into the afterlife. And depending on what state of consciousness we will be at the end of life (how many sins or goodies we will have on conscience), this will be our existence after death. But even here it is not a matter of hell, purgatory or paradise, it is a state of consciousness in which the soul is located, and consequently our thoughts and actions. Divine comedy leads us to purification from all the bad and the good in man. At the same time, its dramatic structure is conceived as a journey, which is very close to the performing methods of sensorial theater. Moreover, in its rich picturesqueness of the various stages, circles, it offers tremendous potential for a sensorial experience. These are personal experiences, just like Dante’s imaginary journey is accompanied by Virgil in the 14th century.
Important note: Visitors are wearing blindfolds. This is a full sensorial experience, a visitor can touch, smell, listen and taste. He or she can open their eyes only in Paradise.
On the photos of a play you can not see a sensorial set design of a play. You can only see the background of a space where the event was happening. In the background is a Photo exhibition of a Museum in days of a performance, which visitors didn’t see and were not part of the experience they are going through.
Credits:
Translation: Alojz Gradnik, Andrej Capuder
Concept, direction, costumes, smell design: Barbara Pia Jenič
Sound design: Peter Penko
Set design of Paradise: Barbara Pia Jenič, Nataša Skušek
Authors of the commercial speech in the 8th circle: Barbara Pia Jenič, Peter Penko
The author of the motivational speech in the 8th circle: Vesna Hauschild
Voice of Dante Alighieri (audio): Tomaž Gubenšek
Voice of Beatrice (audio): Barbara Pia Jenič
Voice of commercial in the 8th circle: Barbara Pia Jenič
Voice of motivational speech in the 8th circle: Vesna Hauschild
The image of Beatrice in Paradise: Janja Vranjek / Liza Šimenc
Cocreators and sensorial guides: Vesna Hauschild, Barbara Pia Jenič, Jerica Majerhold Ostrovršnik, Janja Vranjek (2020)
Vesna Hauschild, Barbara Pia Jenič, Nataša Skušek, Liza Šimenc, Janja Vranjek (2019)
Profesional consultant: Dr. Igor Areh
Producer and Project leader: Barbara Pia Jenič
Production: Senzorium Institute
Photo of neuron by Shutterstock
Premiere 2nd of December 2019, repetitions 16. in 23. december 2019, at 7pm, Cekin Castle Ljubljana
Project is supported by Municipality of Ljubljana. Special thanks to: Katerina Vdiner Ferkov and anonimus people who fullfilled the Questionaire about Inferno. Spaces are limited. Extra free spaces are possible 15 minutes before the show on the spot.
