1534 the christian occident is afflicted by mortal fears - like every time, when society is concussed by dramatic changes. A special constellation of planets leads into collective panical situations. Men climb into trees to await the arrival of Christ. The Luther Bible with the reproductions of Durers Apocalyps is being reprinted: A dire reader for thousends of analphabs. Masses spontaneously arrange performances of the doomsday.
Meanwhile the german farmers try to get rid of the old regularity. They claim for a community of goods and bringing justice about them. The Antichrist, that they are talking about, has two faces: The one of the Pope and Luthers.
In the meantime, the Anabaptists, being persecuted in the whole Mid-Europe, rescue themselves to Munster in Westfalen, for realizing their idea of a free society. They experiment with free love, polygam households, drugs, mass origes, mystic rituals and salvation ceremonies - unitl the troops of the Bishop Franz von Waldeck take over the sieged city. They execute the revolutionists and hang them in iron baskets on the tower of the Lambertchurch, as a warning sign.
There is a certain picture of the Middel Age. It is supposed to be dark, full of danger and desease, erroneous belief and proof for Gods existance. SCBLM doubts that picture and brings light into the dark. Not only some candles, but whole bataillons of lamps, that even illuminate the darkest corners. SCBLM adds own pictures to the deadlocked one of the Middel Age: Hieronymos Bosch und Lucas Cranach are being plunged into neon colours, farmers overdosed with vitamins until their urin is glooming. The bondsmen are able to produce gold out of the most simple things, so much gold, that the streets are being fixed with it. The Clergy and the Nobilty are tranqualized with new forms of musical plays. God wears brand clothing with sponsoring signets. And Satan starts to sing so bad, that later on, every one is agreeing again; to have lived in an awful time.
1534 is a co-production of Showcase Beat le Mot, Hebbel am Ufer (Berlin), donaufestival.at, WUK Vienna and Pumpenhaus Munster. Supported by the Governing Mayor Berlin - Senate Chancellery - cultural affairs and the National Performance Network of the co-production fond from the Tazplan deutschland of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes. Performance, Text, Room, Costume: Showcase Beat Le Mot. Music: Thies Mynther. Choreography: Minako Seki, Showcase Beat Le Mot. Magic: Manuel Muerte. Construction: Christian Wenzel, Atia Trofimoff. Video: Catalina Fernandez. Sound: Paul Ratzel. Light: Ruprecht Lademann. Production Management: Olaf Nachtwey.