This is not an embassy (Made in Taiwan) ^{Made in Taiwan}

400 years after the Netherlands colonized parts of Taiwan, we invite Stefan Kaegi to turn our theater into an embassy. This Is Not an Embassy (Made in Taiwan) explores the challenge of creating an embassy for a place that is not officially recognized as a state. Located in the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, Taiwan faces political instability on par with its shaky geological landscape. Despite being a member of the UN in the past, Taiwan lost its seat in 1971 and has since struggled for international recognition, with only a few countries recognizing it diplomatically. This puts Taiwan in a difficult position among world powers.

However, Taiwan has found creative ways to build connections without official recognition, using NGOs and trade alliances. In the theater, where illusion and representation reign, the question arises: how do you portray Taiwan on stage? What symbols – flags, anthems, rituals – capture its essence in the contemporary world?

Stefan Kaegi, along with Taiwanese artists, spent seven weeks speaking to diplomats, geologists and others in Taiwan to understand its unique situation. In This Is Not an Embassy (Made in Taiwan), they bring together diverse voices, including a retired ambassador, a digital activist and even someone from a bubble tea company, to explore Taiwan's quest for identity and recognition on the world stage.

BIO

Stefan Kaegi creates documentary theater pieces, audio interventions, composite formats and works in the urban environment in a wide variety of collaborative partnerships. Using research, public auditions and conceptual processes, he often gives a voice to 'experts' who are not trained actors, but do have something to say. Most of his works are released under the label "Rimini Protokoll" - name of the Berlin theater collective that he founded together with Helgard Haug and Daniel Wetzel at the beginning of the millennium.