SWEAT MACHINES.
Ein akustischer Spielplatz

SWEAT MACHINES. Ein akustischer Spielplatz

Pina Bausch Zentrum under construction, Bundesallee 260, Wuppertal
– Free admission! –

Who composes? Who plays? On what? At Radialsystem, the theatre label Rimini Protokoll poses these questions in a new and humorous way with their production “SWEAT. A Musclical” and provides a suggestion:

fitness equipment - taken from the world of physical self-optimisation – transforms into music machines on stage. The concert evening SWEAT. Songs of Push and Pull presents pieces for this new category of instruments composed by the multi-disciplinary musicians Güner Künier, Brigitta Muntendorf, Schneider TM, Sophia Wind and Wooly Aziz and performed by the newly founded SWEAT ENSEMBLE. In the interactive walk-through installation “SWEAT MACHINES. Ein akustischer Spielplatz” (English: “an acoustic playground”), the audience can make the machine orchestra sing and get their own pulse racing.

The “Songs of Push and Pull” create a soundscape between fitness studio, pop and contemporary composition, a workout and a musical evening in one: To train the muscles now means to play music. The music machines are operated by the SWEAT Ensemble: people who are not necessarily musicians but have been unknowingly rehearsing for this moment by exercising on the original machines. They might have never played a concert before, but they have a precise feeling for their tendons and muscles thanks to regular training.

In the accompanying installation “SWEAT MACHINES. Ein akustischer Spielplatz” (English: “an acoustic playground”), the audience is invited to play the machine orchestra. Multilayered narratives unfold for visitors and participants via headphones and text-based media. The project is inspired by intensive research in Berlin and Luckenwalde in Brandenburg and interwoven with the protein-fuelled history of fitness culture.

Cast

With the voices of
Bea Edwards, Brian (KI generiert), Christiane Löll, Daniel Wetzel, Erik Veenstra, F. aka Charlotte, Fabian, Hatim, Hendrik I, Hasan Heinick, Julia Gal, Kathi Bernier, Lisa Wadle, Michael Brandt, Tomka Weiß, Veronika Nowag-Jones, Yulia, Zhenja und jungen Menschen der Jugendclubs KLAB und Go7 in Luckenwalde

Additional speakers
Aaron, Amin Basiri, Angelina Braunert, F. aka Charlotte, Ferinho, Hasan Heinick, Hendrik, Mirko Holzmüller, Sophia Kappa, Franko Maria, Mika, Prof. Clemens Wöllner sowie Chayenne, Ekrem, Fabian, Hatim, Julia, Nazmi, Nele, Omran, Senad, Zoe aus Luckenwalde

Music by and with
Aigel
Black Mirror Park
Bush.ida
Güner Künier
Brigitta Muntendorf
Schneider TM
Franz Schubert
Fabian Tombers
Daniel Wetzel
Sophia Wind
Wooly Aziz

Digital conductor, sound design & programming
Fabian Tombers

Interactive art installation & instruments
Alfredo Bautista
Benjamin Maus
Klaudiusz Schimanowski

Concept, text & direction
Daniel Wetzel

Dramaturgy, research, and text
Arved Schultze
Erik Veenstra

Scenography
Lena Lupo Loy

Video design
abraso (Juan Pablo Gaviria Bedoya, Camillo Londoño Hernández)

Lighting design
Hendrik Borowski

Notation
Peter Breitenbach, Florian Wulff

Video engineer
Marius Bratoveanu

Surtitels
Lou Maurin

Screen prints
Milena Weller
Zoï Wetzel

Developement technical belt
Alexander Auras

Stage technology
Cesar Balleyguier
Pablo Cornejo
Kellen Mills

Sound engineering
Marius Bratoveanu

Graphic design
Marie Faass

Artistic collaboration (dramaturgy and performance)
Luna Anogiati
Yiannis Askaroglou
Olesya Lakshtanova
Christiane Löll
Lou Maurin
Patricio Suárez
Savina Tsafa

Technical management
Patrick Tucholski

Public relations Rimini Protokoll
Lisa Homburger

Production management
Monica Ferrari
Ksenia Lukina

Biografies

Daniel Wetzel, from the theatre label Rimini Protokoll, has spent the past 25 years working across theatre, installation, sound design, and radio plays. His recent Rimini projects include the documentary theatre piece „Futur4“ (2025), the exhibition and radio work „Prinzip Held“ (2024), and the sound design for „ALTER EGO Raubkopie“ (P 2024–2025).

Multidisciplinary artist Güner Künier works at the intersection of music, film, theatre, and visual arts. Through her solo music project, she has released multiple EPs and albums. As an actress, she has appeared in short films, television, and stage productions.

Composer Brigitta Muntendorf investigates social fragility through transdigital formats. Drawing on concepts such as Radical Listening, AI, and 3D audio, she creates immersive compositions and music theatre that navigate the space between analogue and digital worlds. She is a professor at HfMT Cologne.

Schneider TM is the multidimensional music project of Dirk Dresselhaus, operating between experimental electronic avant-pop and abstract, improvisational soundscapes. Schneider TM performs internationally at prestigious festivals, including CTM Berlin, Sónar, and Roskilde.

In Sophia Wind’s compositions, meticulously crafted concepts and carefully negotiated narratives come together to form an intricate, self-contained structure. She approaches working with sound as a form of research, devoted to revealing the sensuality inherent in everyday life.

Wooly Aziz is a cross-genre project by Jannat Sohail from Lahore, Pakistan, exploring stories of migration, war, euphoria, and loss. Through atmospheric compositions and “wistful vocals” (Rolling Stone), Wooly Aziz situates itself in the emotional landscape of colonial and geographic histories.

Using sounds under CC Attribution 4.0 from: Beetlemuse, Cell31_Sound_Productions, SoundBiterSFX

Developed in: E-Werk Luckenwalde, FELD Theater für junge Menschen, Haus der Statistik, Selbstgebaute Musik e.V., Uferstudios Berlin, Wokule Biesenthal

Special thanks to: Maitén Arns, Dilan Aytaç, Marius Alsleben, Anestis Azas, Nic Duric, Feel Good Gesundheitsstudio Luckenwalde, Go7 Luckenwalde, Gym Buddies Berlin, Gypso D., Shadow, Harry Hachmeister, Bela Haug, I.GYM Luckenwalde, Chloe Kelly, KLAB Luckenwalde, Ayosha Kortlang, Vassilis Koukalani, Matthias Kremsreiter, Florine Lindner, Moritz Lobeck, Clara Mägdefrau, Juliane Männel, Michalis Markakis, Eva Rincke, Daniil Pikturnyi, Anni Retake, David Ristau, THF Radio, Helen Turner, Zeyki Temizbas, Hajo Toppius, Margarita Tsomou, Michael von zur Mühlen, Pablo Wendel & the students of the Athens Conservatoire Drama School: Angelos Magnisalis, Cleio Papatzanaki-Chrysovergi, Katerina Theodorou, Leda Ktona, Stelios Kratsas, Foivos Pavlopoulos, Anna Gkarafli, Valia Koumpi, Christina Paraskeva, Antonis Skyvalos, Klaudio Cuka, Klara Santikou, Georgia Spyropoulou, Vasilis Syrros.

A production by Rimini Apparat in co-production with Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Pina Bausch Centre “under construction,” and E-WERK Luckenwalde.

In collaboration with Radialsystem, Berlin.

Supported by the Hauptstadt Cultural Fund.