Dear All,
The deadline passed last week and everyone is eagerly working on the abstract submissions: A first glimpse and we are already more than excited for all the fascinating presentations awaiting us in June. We have received many mails e.g. regarding technical issues. If you were affected, don't despair - we were able to arrange that the submission platform will be reopened until Monday, 3 February. So: hand it in now!
With the incoming abstracts, the yet dream-like imagination of a soon to emerge transitory global village of theatre scholars at the University of Cologne slowly starts to materialize. And with the IFTR 2025 each of us will become a performing being in this surreal spatio-temporal frame.
This trail of thought might somehow connect us to today’s FOW: You may encounter Fritz Jarchov’s figure in his performative street theatre of the 1970s. We see the protagonist in a real-unreal space; a clown – one of those who can sense, even from behind them, the grimace of death, framed by a ›good dog‹ and the toothy figure ›power‹. The scene is characterised by a distortion of proportions. The clown themself eludes definition in a non-binary way. (Gerald Köhler)
Following on from last week's Cologne Curiosity, this time we would like to take a closer look at Cologne's Veedel (Kölsch for neighbourhood) and their connections to the university campus. In addition to the previously mentioned stops there are two other transport hubs you should remember:
›Zülpicher Platz‹: a 10 minute walk from the campus. Three lines to look out for - 9, 12 and 15 - stop here. While line 12 also stops at ›Zollstock‹, line 9 stops at the ›Kalk' district on the right bank, which is well connected and cheap.
And ›Barbarossaplatz‹: about a 15 minute walk from campus, not only lines 12, 15 but also 16 and 18 stop here. Line 18 will take you to ›Mülheim‹, another inexpensive area on the right bank, as well as to places outside Cologne, such as Efferen (Hürth) and Bonn. Buses 130, 134 and 142 also stop at the university, but we strongly advise you not to rely on them. The subway/tram is less prone to delays!
Overall, our campus is in the heart of Cologne, well connected and easy to reach on foot or bicycle. Check our Veedel-Map for what is in closest proximity: e.g. city-centre (›Altstadt Nord/Süd‹, ›Neustadt Nord/Süd‹, ›Deutz‹), ›Sülz‹ and ›Lindenthal‹.
But don’t forget: If the above-named trams/subways are close to where you are staying, there is one thing less to worry about.
Alaaf – meaning as much as au fou de partout, to fools everywhere, we greet you!
Sona Petrossian
for the Cologne Team