Playing on every child’s dream to star in their own fairy tale, Switzerland-based Trickster-p’s immersive theatre piece .h.g.(Hänsel and Gretel) has a large following among adults too. But why Hansel and Gretel? “We are interested in working on a well-known material that allows us not to worry too much about the narrative line, and rather lets us work on archetypes and atmospheres,” says Cristina Galbiati, who has created the production with Ilija Luginbühl. Replete with unhinged wooden doors, dimly-lit passages and the sound of chirping crickets, the installation, to be experienced individually, takes the spectator through the duo’s mysterious journey set in nine physical-sensory rooms, guided by earphones over the course of 30 minutes.
Ilija Luginbühl and Cristina Galbiati | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Travelling to Chennai for the first time with Sandbox Collective after a four-day showcase in Delhi earlier this month, the 2009 production not only caters to the visual and aural senses, but also the olfactory to evoke “something more subliminal”. “Smell, as well as hearing, are connected to a much more instinctive sphere and therefore linked to our less rational part,” explains Galbiati. Since .h.g. is an experiential production, narration is key. With a mix of direct readings and reinterpretation, the narrating voice weaves a parallel story to evoke the spectator’s memories, creating a very personal experience.
.h.g. is not Trickster-p’s only immersive fairy tale adaptation. The company specialises in experiential theatre with works like B, an audio journey of Snow White, and Sights, an installation involving maps and sound machines that are set up around the city. However, the reception to .h.g. has been tremendous, with the production being performed over 215 times across 17 countries, and translated into nine languages. It also travelled to Bengaluru back in January 2016.
As for the audience, the reactions are subjective. Some have admitted to experiencing imagined elements that are not physically present in the installation, says Galbiati, who is most fulfilled when they find that .h.g. has awakened certain memories. “It seems to me that the show was not created by us alone, but somehow becomes a dialogue between what we have created and what the viewer puts into the play,” she concludes.
h.g. is on at Max Mueller Bhavan, Goethe Institut, from September 26 to 28. Entry for audiences aged above 10. Tickets from ₹300 onwards at in.bookmyshow.com. After Chennai, the production will head to Bengaluru in the first week of October.