Check the program below, taking note of your starting time
At a time when digital memories are increasingly important, Ulrike Quade Company explores the impact of robots, AI, chatbots and holograms on our relationships and our coping with loss.
This event is a preview of their upcoming production Roman & ELIZA, which explores life after death in our current technological age. Experts from different disciplines will share their insights and invite the audience for an in-depth discussion.
Program at 19:00
19:00 - 19:30 Spot x Kafka in Frascati 3
19:30 - 20:30 Panel with 3 experts - Explore diverse perspectives on the role of technology in grieving.
20:30 - 21:00 Break
21:00 - 21:45 Roundtable discussions with the audience - Share your thoughts and questions with the experts and other attendees.
21:45 - 22:00 Closing
22:00 to close Drinks - Talk over drinks in the café.
Program at 19:30
19:30 - 20:30 Panel with 3 experts - Explore diverse perspectives on the role of technology in grieving. 20:30 - 21:00 Spot x Kafka in Frascati 3
21:00 - 21:45 Roundtable discussions with the audience - Share your thoughts and questions with the experts and other attendees.
21:45 - 22:00 Closing
22:00 to close Drinks - Talk over drinks in the café.
About the speakers
Esther Hammelburg
Keynote Speaker
Esther Hammelburg is researching the hybridization of our living environment: how media technologies and physical spaces are increasingly merging and how this changes our experience of the world. Death is one of her core themes. Esther observes how our relationship with death and the deceased is changing through new digital technologies. She was interviewed by Radio 1 and Trouw about the role of AI in grief processing and keeping loved ones alive through a chatbot or hologram. Do I want or not want my loved ones to be able to talk to an AI version of me, and where can I specify that? Who has the right to use all the texts, photos, and videos my loved ones have of me? On December 13, she will discuss these topics with two guest speakers and the audience.
Roshan Nejal
Speaker
Roshan Nejal is a public speaker specializing in Artificial Intelligence (AI), deepfakes, and Virtual Reality (VR). As the creator of Deepfake Therapy, he produced a documentary of the same name on this subject. As a director, he was responsible for shaping the content of philosophical and spiritual programs at the Dutch public broadcaster (NPO). From the very first year of his film studies, Roshan focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence, technology, and ethics. At this crossroads, he explored the substantive possibilities of these emerging technologies. His graduation film, Deepfake Therapy (2020), delves into the story of bereaved individuals communicating with their deceased loved ones via a laptop. Currently, Roshan is receiving widespread acclaim for his documentary Lucky Boy.
Wouter van der Toorn
Speaker
Wouter van der Toorn is one of the founders of Bright Elephant, a platform dedicated to making death a more open topic of conversation while focusing on grief and remembrance. The platform addresses the practical aspects of death and mourning and offers a digital listening ear for those grieving or wishing to discuss grief. Wouter has developed a grief chatbot, an online grief program, and frequently writes eulogies. This year, he released his third book on grief, Troostifant - Stories That Embrace You When You Mourn.
He also serves as Head of Marketing for the Old and New Church in Delft. On his blog, he writes about death, life, spirituality, technology, innovation, meaning, and beautiful stories. Additionally, he is a member of the Monk Collective, a group of writers and creators who translate ancient wisdom into modern-day inspiration.
Laura van Dolron
Live Column
Laura van Dolron, theatermaker and stand-up philosopher, is also known as the queen of vulnerability. She uses the stage as a space to be authentic, believing that in ‘real’ life, there’s already enough pretense. Laura both comforts and confronts. She demonstrates that vulnerability is a strength needed in this world. For years, Laura has been searching for the universal values within the personal, using her voice to give others a platform as well.
Tim Hammer
Musical Performance
Tim Hammer is a musician, theater maker, puppeteer, and writer. In his hometown of Brussels, he volunteers with the Straatdoden collective, a group dedicated to creating a dignified farewell for those who live and die on the streets. Last year, there were 82 such deaths in Brussels. Additionally, Tim traveled to Mount Fear in northern Japan, a pilgrimage site for grief, where he created the online performance The Mountain of Fear. It’s a solitary walk to reflect on death. With his project How to Die in [City Name], Tim aims to inspire artists from various disciplines to create work about mortality.
Ro Rox Roxy Roxana Verwey
Host
Roxana Verwey (1988) is a Black Queer creator, born and raised in Rotterdam. They began teaching dance at the age of twelve, stepping in for their sister as a street dance instructor. Their love for teaching and performing has remained ever since. Through organizations such as DOX, LostProject, and DEGASTEN, they have grown into a versatile maker-performer, engaging in socially conscious productions.
As a performer and creator, their passion lies in fostering connections and inspiring people. Their artistic goal as a creator and teacher is to enable everyone to experience what theater, dance, or any form of artistic expression means to them personally.
About Future Stages
Future Stages is a series of talk shows initiated by Ulrike Quade Company, focusing on the cross-relation between theatre and new technology. In each talkshow, experts present their work and findings and engage with the audience on the innovative collaboration between performing arts and technology. Each talkshow approaches the same question from a different angle each time: How can performing arts and technology work together in an innovative way?
Spot x Kafka - An exploration of the human-robot relationship
In addition to the talkshow, we welcome you to Frascati 3 for a research presentation of Spot x Kafka. This presentation is the result of a collaboration between Ulrike Quade Company and tech incubator Yes!Delft, focusing on the relationship between humans and robots.
We look at the Spot robot through the lens of visual theatre and puppetry and work together with writer Tine Tabak, scenographer Hendrik Walter, composer Bauke Moerman and engineers Maneesh Verma, Romir Kulshrestha and Didier van Citters. Together, we search for a contemporary representation of the role of this robot in our society. During this programme at Frascati 3, we will share a scene from the project and take you through an imaginative perspective on Spot, a contemporary version of metamorphosis.
