Translating theory into theater: overflow of content shaping forms not yet born investigates how philosophical, political and historical material becomes theatrical language. Starting from Peter Szondi's idea that new contents force new forms, the project looks back at almost twenty years of Rodrigo Batista's artistic and pedagogical practice as a living archive. It maps the three-phase methodology that has guided his work: Brainwashing, where references, discussions and in situ research create an excess of material; Cannibal Lab, where this excess is digested through bodies, improvisations, scores and fictional set-ups; and Word Becomes Flesh, where fragments become actions, texts, images and scenes. During this one-year start project, Batista will gather and analyse materials from past works and classes, create an initial glossary and architectural map of the method, test selected tools with bachelor students Drama – Play & Make at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, write a reflective essay, and a PhD proposal. The research asks what kinds of worldviews become visible when theatre is built from specific constellations of theory and politics, and how such tools can be shared between rehearsal room, classroom and future doctoral research.
Beeld: KIDNAPPED: A Training Ground for the Brutality that is Coming. Theater-piece. Belgium, 2025. (c) Ana Francisco
Update: May 2026
