Anniversary Exhibition

For machina eX, objects are central tools for creating co-operative experiential spaces. The team spends a large part of the production time crafting such props by programming, soldering, hacking and 3D printing. Finally, after the work has been completed, the cherished objects go into storage and catch the eye every time they are visited: couldn't we do something with them again?


To mark its 15th anniversary, machina eX is giving its favourite objects from past productions a second time in the spotlight. In a curated exhibition, visitors can explore – and play with – exhibited props, interactive objects and revamped mini-games from a decade and a half of game theatre. There are also structure trees, discarded plot documents and wild story diagrams of past projects that provide an insight into the collective's production practice. The exhibition is freely accessible in HAU3's Houseclub and can be visited separately or explored during the breaks between the performances of the retrospective. During the machina eX retrospective, there will also be a bar here, so that the anniversary exhibition offers space to get to know the history of machina eX and to exchange ideas. The opening of “On and On and On and On” will take place on 25 June at 18:00 in the exhibition rooms.


Dinner & Games26.+27.6., 19:00

What would a showcase for the anniversary of a game theatre group be without games? On two evenings, the members of machina eX will be reaching into their game libraries. They will show video games that have served as research for the creation of specific performances, set up board games that have dissuaded them from trying out certain game mechanics in the first place, and pull their absolute favourite games from the treasure chest.


Anecdotes from day-to-day production are told in a relaxed atmosphere, game developments are reflected on and the best moments from 15 years of game theatre are brought to life. The format offers visitors the opportunity to take a break between performances, enjoy a snack and chat with the machinas.


Zoom breakfast with international guests

28.6., 12:00

Game theatre is not a German-language phenomenon. In many places around the world, theatre makers have begun to explore the potential at the interface between live performance and computer games in recent decades.


machina eX invites four of these international experts to the digital breakfast buffet on Saturday morning:

The performance groups Binge Culture (Wellington/New Zealand) and Fast Familiar (London/UK) and the game theatre designers Kim Borahm (Seoul/South Korea) and Neel Chaudhuri (New Delhi/India) will provide insights into their work between digitality and the stage in short presentations. Together with machina eX, they will talk about the joys and frustrations of designing games, tools and experiential spaces - and about the opportunities and challenges of international cooperation against the backdrop of the climate crisis.