Austria – Karin Schäfer “The Crazy Old Me”

The 27th International Istanbul Puppet Festival’s selection this year features Austrian puppeteer Karin Schäfer’s latest theater piece, “The Crazy Old Me,” which addresses the theme of aging. What does it mean to grow old as a puppeteer, as a theater producer?

Eyes may weaken, hands may tremble, posture may deteriorate, and the world around us may accelerate. Routines on stage become increasingly challenging, and memory grows increasingly dull. Everything is literally slipping away.

The only thing left is the desire to perform, because none of this can be taken too seriously. To make theater is to have the courage to try, to fail, and the urge to persevere.

Karin Schäfer Figuren Theater is an independent Austrian theater company whose productions have been invited to more than 45 countries worldwide to date. Transcending the boundaries of theater, dance, puppetry, masks, animation, projection, light, and shadow, Karin Schäfer creates her own unique form of “Visual Theater.”