RAPT By Benjamin Richter Company

Presented as part of UpDown Circus Festival RAPT begins with our problematic relationship to the word “more” - a concept that has brought humanity both growth and self-destruction, leaving us teetering between ecstatic pleasure and absolute catastrophe. Through the tools of contemporary juggling, a tragicomic associative journey unfolds, in which human and paper, care and waste, transience and crumpled matter become entangled.

We understand circus as an instrument for illuminating themes of life from unusual, virtuosic, or surprising perspectives. Our contemporary juggling is strongly influenced by the philosophy of object-oriented ontology, which proposes that non-human objects possess their own agency - independent of humans. On stage, an object or prop becomes an equal playing partner, and a dialogue emerges. This dialogue can expand our understanding of things, beings, and objects, and call into question any assumption of human superiority.

In RAPT, we work with grass paper composed of 60% grass fibers and 40% recycled paper. Our aim is to produce as little paper waste as possible and to continually reuse the material - with all its traces of wear and in ever-changing forms. The production is designed to be as sustainable as possible, and in the end the entire piece fits into just two suitcases. Rather than leaving an ever-greater footprint, we choose to cultivate a hopeful handprint.

Benjamin Richter is a pioneering juggling artist working at the intersections of contemporary circus and dance for over 35 years. Influenced by new materialist philosophies and clowning, he has developed a unique choreographic style encompassing his playful object-oriented and improvisational practices.

He creates and performs in various collaborations and has worked with Gandini Juggling, Cirkus Cirkör, the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation and Atemzug. He has performed his own works in over 25 countries worldwide, including appearances at the Berliner Tanztage, LIMF, and the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival.

From his beginnings as a street performer, Benjamin has spent decades in artistic research, sharing insights though creating, teaching, deconstructing and enriching both his own practices and those of countless other artists. He has designed courses and taught BA, MA, PHD and independent students at the Stockholm University of the Arts since 2003, where he designed and led the Artistic Development Course. Benjamin currently holds a professorship at the École Superieur des Arts du Cirque in Brussels. He co-edited the 2024 issue of Voices Magazine Re-Clowning for the Circus Dance Festival. and continues to create and perform with enthusiasm. Benjamin likes things that are poetic, touching, and funny.

Concept, Choreography & Performance Benjamin Richter
Concept & Dramaturgy Jenny Patschovsky
Lighting Design Garlef Keßler
Video Art Solvejg Hockings
Graphic Design Dominikus Moos

RAPT was supported by Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, NRWState Office for Independent Performing Arts, and the Cultural Office of the City of Cologne and the Goethe-Institut Irland.