Somewhere. Nowhere. A regime of control. At least, that’s what they say. A Supreme Leader sees everything, drones monitor the borders, and a spiritual authority decides who belongs and who doesn’t. The rules seem clear—at least at first glance.

Right in the middle of it all: an office. A war refugee applies for a residence permit. Questions are asked, forms are filled out, and rules are announced. But the longer the conversation goes on, the less clear it becomes what actually applies.

Based on research into radicalization, Basel-based author and theater maker Shashank Purushotham and director Marcel Schwald have collaborated to create The Other Side. Schwald has been a prominent figure in Basel’s theater scene for many years and has worked, among others, with the trans actress and activist Living Smile Vidya on her multi-award-winning solo performance Introducing Living Smile Vidya. Purushotham’s research and Schwald’s exploration of new forms of surveillance and control give rise to a comedy about authoritarian power, bureaucratic gaslighting, and the absurdity of supposed certainties. Together with an international cast of people who have found a new home in Switzerland, they shake up the system with dark humor, absurd situations, and laughs that get stuck in your throat.

Duration: ca. 80 Minutes

Aftertalk after the performance on Sunday, 24.1.