Package: Dance Performance Explores Office Life in Ferrara

The dance performance 'Package', directed by Shusaku Takeuchi, was staged in May 2024 at the basketball court of Parco Marco Coletta in Ferrara, near the central train station. The piece, originally conceived for open spaces in metropolitan financial districts, uses minimal set elements (tables, backdrop, orchestra space) to focus on performers' expressive bodies and faces. The multinational ensemble antagon theater AKTion, based in Frankfurt am Main (Germany) and active since 1990, brought the show to Ferrara as part of Rabicano. Festival Internazionale del Teatro per gli Spazi Aperti, organized by Teatro Nucleo. 'Package' debuted in 1993 and was first developed by antagon theater AKTion in 2015. The performance questions whether one works to live or lives to work, exploring emotional aspects of labor inside and outside the office. Takeuchi, a Japanese-born choreographer and artistic director, founded Shusaku and Dormu Dance Theatre and has worked with butoh dancers Eiko&Koma, choreographer Graziella Martinez, and Jango Edwards. The festival celebrated the 50th anniversary of Teatro Nucleo, featuring 37 free performances across Ferrara's center and outskirts, including historic Nucleo productions like 'Quijote!'. The event was supported by the Comune di Ferrara and Regione Emilia-Romagna.