Granma. Trombones from Havana

Daniel, Milagro, Christian, and Diana, all aged between 25 and 35, live in Cuba with their parents and, sometimes, their grandparents. Like the vast majority of post-Revolution youths, they suffer from the housing shortage. These familias compuestas lead, unwittingly, to unprecedented situations: the generation who is now guiding the collective destiny of the island cohabits with the one who determined its future 60 years ago. Daniel, Milagro, Christian, and Diana aren't actors but translators, history teachers, computer engineers, or musicians. Together, they tell a political and social history of their country and of the world. Fears, joys, doubts, desires... Granma. Trombones from Havana is made up of personal stories, interspersed with variations on patriotic tunes and stock footage of the Revolution, which challenge our fantasised image of the myth of the Cuban revolution. Faithful to the identity of the Rimini Protokoll collective, Stefan Kaegi, through this exploration of the real, makes sure to question the ability of the western world to build new collective horizons for itself.

For almost twenty years, Stefan Kaegi has travelled the world and worked with non-actors whom he calls the experts of everyday life. With them, the Berlin-based Swiss director creates documentary plays, radio plays, and space installations in and for the cities he visits. A founding member of the Rimini Protokoll collective, his theatrical and multidisciplinary investigations question the real by creating a direct communication link with the audience. Festivalgoers will surely remember the last time the collective came to Avignon in 2013 with Remote Avignon, an audio tour of the papal city, and Lagos Business Angels.

With Milagro Álvarez Leliebre, Daniel Cruces-Pérez, Christian Paneque Moreda, Diana Sainz Mena

Conception and direction Stefan Kaegi
Dramaturgy Aljoscha Begrich, Yohayna Hernández
Stage design Aljoscha Begrich
Video Mikko Gaestel
Music Ari Benjamin Meyers
Sound Aaron Ghantus, Tito Toblerone
Costumes Julia Casabona

Production Rimini Protokoll
Co-production Maxim Gorki Theater (Berlin), Emilia Romagna Teatro Fondazione (Bologne), Festival d'Avignon, Festival TransAmériques (Montréal), Kaserne (Bâle), Onassis Cultural Centre (Athènes), Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, LuganoInScena, Zürcher Theater Spektakel (Zurich)
With the support of Fondation fédérale allemande pour la Culture, Pro Helvetia Fondation suisse pour la culture, Département Culture de la Ville de Berlin
With the help of Goethe-Institut à La Havane