Rettssaken mot oss selv

The Trial Against Ourselves

On Christmas Eve, 2015, Julian Blaue, Edy Poppy and their baby boy are robbed by two impoverished, armed men in Rio de Janeiro. Blaue & Poppy’s first reaction is to report the two assaulters to the tourist police. They later regret it. This is a reversed crime story. Back in Norway, the couple explore the event artistically, turning the guilt question up-side down. Who are the real victims?

As part of the global middle- and upper-class we all exploit the under classes.
In spring 2018, Blaue & Poppy enact a law against structural violence, at Sørlandets kunstmuseum. They then accuse themselves of breaking the law by having acted out structural violence against the two impoverished attackers. In a vehicle they have designed for an investigation into the matter, the duo travel back towards Brazil. In Rio, looking for proof against themselves, they follow the tracks of their assaulters all the way to the prison. In autumn 2018, Blaue & Poppy present an “Interim Report” at the prestigious Museu de Arte do Rio, Kristiansand kunsthall and Teaterfestivalen i Fjaler.

The final act of this juridical drama is “The Trial Against Ourselves”. The accused artists present their findings from Rio as evidence of their supposed breach of law. The prosecutor agrees with their guilt, whilst the defence lawyer is defending them against their will. You can be a participant in the jury. After cross examinations, testimonies, expert statements and more, you will be asked, together with the judge, to determine the fate of Blaue & Poppy. The outcome of this staged courtroom trial – the verdict – could have very real effects on the lives of Blaue & Poppy.
But, since it is a theatre, not a courthouse, the punishment is not legally binding. Can the artists, nevertheless, hope for any legal consequences of having a trial-performance that showcases that it has no legal consequences? Can an artistic precedent bring the law against structural violence away from the stage and into the parliament, and the accused out of the theatre and into the court house?

Blaue & Poppy accuse themselves of a crime with global consequences. This is why a global jury, live-streamed into the theatre by CourtStageTV, is necessary. This international court-theatre channel will also broadcast the event out into the world. Thus a global public can witness that “The Trial Against Ourselves” is just and fair. CourtStageTV promises juicy and surprising stories, unexpected turns of events and real trauma. You need to see it to believe it!

Each staged event of “The Trial Against Ourselves” will be live, unique and unpredictable. The defence lawyer and the prosecutor will choose their strategies in front of your eyes to guarantee that Blaue and Poppy give uncensored testimonies. The judge will constantly ensure that legal procedures are followed. If, towards the end of this trial, the jury finds Blaue & Poppy guilty, the judge will sentence them with a punishment, not yet known. If the jury finds them not-guilty, the show is over.

Become a participant in this exclusive jury! Send «global jury» to trialagainstourselves@gmail.com to receive a link.

Become an audience member of this trial! Watch CourtStageTV’s live-stream:

15.04.21

16.04.21

17.04.21 

“The Trial Against Ourselves” starts at 19.30, local time and will be simultaneously streamed worldwide at:

Lagos, Kinshasa, Roma, Berlin & Oslo 19.30, Helsinki, Athens, Cape Town & Cairo 20.30, Istanbul, Bagdad & Moskva 21.30, Teheran 22.00, New Delhi 00.00, Hanoi & Bangkok 01.30, Kuala Lumpur & Beijing 02.30, Tokyo & Pyongyang 03.30, Darwin 04.00, Sydney 05.30, Honolulu 08.30, Silicon Valley & Los Angeles 10.30, Mexico City 12.30, Havana & New York 13.30, Brasília & Rio 15.30, Dakar, Reykjavík & London 18.30.

Som del av den globale middel- og overklassen utbytter vi alle de globale underklassene. Våren 2018 vedtar Blaue & Poppy en lov mot strukturell vold på Sørlandets kunstmuseum og anmelder seg selv for å ha brutt denne overfor de to fattige ranerne. Så reiser de tilbake mot Brasil i etterforskningsbrannbilen sin. I Rio, på leting etter bevis mot seg selv, beveger de seg i fotsporene til overfallsmennene, helt frem til fengselet. Høsten 2018 avholder de en «Mellomrapport» på det prestisjefylte Museu de Arte do Rio, Kristiansand kunsthall og Teaterfestivalen i Fjaler.

Den siste akten i dette jussdramaet er «Rettssaken mot oss selv». De tiltalte kunstnerne presenterer Rio-funnene som ett bevis for sitt påståtte lovbrudd. Aktoren er på deres side. Advokaten forsvarer dem mot deres vilje. Du kan bli del av juryen. Etter kryssforhør, vitnesbyrd, ekspertuttalelser m.m. har du da mulighet til å bestemme Blaue & Poppys skjebne sammen med dommeren. Dommen kan innebære et inngrep i kunstnerduoens liv, en ekte straff, men er ikke juridisk gyldig. Kan det å skandalisere i rettssaksforestillingen, at forestillingen ikke har juridiske følger, få følger? Kan det kunstneriske presedenstilfellet føre loven mot strukturell vold bort fra scenen og inn på Stortinget og de tiltalte ut av teateret og inn i tinghuset?

Blaue & Poppy anklager seg selv for en forbrytelse med globale konsekvenser. Derfor trengs en global jury streamet live inn som scenebilde av CourtStageTV. Denne internasjonale domstolsteaterkanalen sender også retts-eventet live ut til et globalt publikum som bevitner at «Rettssaken mot oss selv» foregår just and fair. CourtStageTV lover saftige og overraskende historier, uventede turns of events og ekte traumer.
You need to see it to believe it!

The Trial Against Ourselves

On Christmas Eve, 2015, Julian Blaue, Edy Poppy and their baby boy are robbed by two impoverished, armed men in Rio de Janeiro. Blaue & Poppy’s first reaction is to report the two assaulters to the tourist police. They later regret it. This is a reversed crime story. Back in Norway, the couple explore the event artistically, turning the guilt question up-side down. Who are the real victims?

As part of the global middle- and upper-class we all exploit the under classes.
In spring 2018, Blaue & Poppy enact a law against structural violence, at Sørlandets kunstmuseum. They then accuse themselves of breaking the law by having acted out structural violence against the two impoverished attackers. In a vehicle they have designed for an investigation into the matter, the duo travel back towards Brazil. In Rio, looking for proof against themselves, they follow the tracks of their assaulters all the way to the prison. In autumn 2018, Blaue & Poppy present an “Interim Report” at the prestigious Museu de Arte do Rio, Kristiansand kunsthall and Teaterfestivalen i Fjaler.

The final act of this juridical drama is “The Trial Against Ourselves”. The accused artists present their findings from Rio as evidence of their supposed breach of law. The prosecutor agrees with their guilt, whilst the defence lawyer is defending them against their will. You can be a participant in the jury. After cross examinations, testimonies, expert statements and more, you will be asked, together with the judge, to determine the fate of Blaue & Poppy. The outcome of this staged courtroom trial – the verdict – could have very real effects on the lives of Blaue & Poppy.
But, since it is a theatre, not a courthouse, the punishment is not legally binding. Can the artists, nevertheless, hope for any legal consequences of having a trial-performance that showcases that it has no legal consequences? Can an artistic precedent bring the law against structural violence away from the stage and into the parliament, and the accused out of the theatre and into the court house?

Blaue & Poppy accuse themselves of a crime with global consequences. This is why a global jury, live-streamed into the theatre by CourtStageTV, is necessary. This international court-theatre channel will also broadcast the event out into the world. Thus a global public can witness that “The Trial Against Ourselves” is just and fair. CourtStageTV promises juicy and surprising stories, unexpected turns of events and real trauma. You need to see it to believe it!

Each staged event of “The Trial Against Ourselves” will be live, unique and unpredictable. The defence lawyer and the prosecutor will choose their strategies in front of your eyes to guarantee that Blaue and Poppy give uncensored testimonies. The judge will constantly ensure that legal procedures are followed. If, towards the end of this trial, the jury finds Blaue & Poppy guilty, the judge will sentence them with a punishment, not yet known. If the jury finds them not-guilty, the show is over.

Become a participant in this exclusive jury! Send «global jury» to trialagainstourselves@gmail.com to receive a link.

Become an audience member of this trial! Watch CourtStageTV’s live-stream:

15.04.21

16.04.21

17.04.21

“The Trial Against Ourselves” starts at 19.30, local time and will be simultaneously streamed worldwide at:

Lagos, Kinshasa, Roma, Berlin & Oslo 19.30, Helsinki, Athens, Cape Town & Cairo 20.30, Istanbul, Bagdad & Moskva 21.30, Teheran 22.00, New Delhi 00.00, Hanoi & Bangkok 01.30, Kuala Lumpur & Beijing 02.30, Tokyo & Pyongyang 03.30, Darwin 04.00, Sydney 05.30, Honolulu 08.30, Silicon Valley & Los Angeles 10.30, Mexico City 12.30, Havana & New York 13.30, Brasília & Rio 15.30, Dakar, Reykjavík & London 18.30.

“The Trial Against Ourselves” starts at 19.30, local time and will be simultaneously streamed worldwide at: 

Lagos, Kinshasa, Roma, Berlin & Oslo 19.30, Helsinki, Athens, Cape Town & Cairo 20.30, Istanbul, Bagdad & Moskva 21.30, Teheran 22.00, New Delhi 00.00, Hanoi & Bangkok 01.30, Kuala Lumpur & Beijing 02.30, Tokyo & Pyongyang 03.30, Darwin 04.00, Sydney 05.30, Honolulu 08.30, Silicon Valley & Los Angeles 10.30, Mexico City 12.30, Havana & New York 13.30, Brasília & Rio 15.30, Dakar, Reykjavík & London 18.30.