[EOL]. End of Life

Direction, Story: Victoria Halper & Kai Krösche (DARUM)
With: Victoria Halper, Kai Krösche und James Stanson
3-D Architecture, Design (Virtual Reality): Mark Surges
Music: Arthur Fussy
Design (Live-Performance): Matthias Krische
Texts: Kai Krösche
Character Design, Animation, Costume Design, Photogrammetry, Motion Capturing, Videos: Victoria Halper
3D Object Animation: Kai Krösche, Mark Surges
Creative Coding, Motion Capturing, Lighting Design, Enhanced Sound Design: Kai Krösche
Testing, Artistic Feedback: David Rosenberg, Matthias Krische, Matthias Seier, Arthur Fussy, Armin Kirchner et al.

Thanks to Götz Dipper, Bernd Lintermann, Tina Lorenz, Felix Mitterberger, Dorcas Müller, Susanna Neueder MSc., James Stanson and Morgane Stricot

A co-production by DARUM and brut Wien. Funded by the City of Vienna Cultural Department (MA 7) and the Austrian Ministry for the Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport.

Work on the artistic concept for ‘[EOL]. End of Life’ was supported by a scholarship at the Center for Art and Media (ZKM) Karlsruhe.

DARUM (Victoria Halper & Kai Krösche) creates performances, installations, films and works of sound, video and media art that use various means of immersion in an attempt to focus on the irreconcilable and contradictory and the often associated exceptional states and phenomena in our society. All projects are always preceded by the (big) question of ‘Why?’. DARUM's Viennese debut performance ‘Ungebetene Gäste’ (2019) was invited to the Impulse Theatre Festival 2020 and nominated for the NESTROY Special Prize 2019. The following year, the performative installation ‘Ausgang: Offen’ (2020), which was adapted into a film due to coronavirus, was nominated for the NESTROY Corona Special Prize 2020. DARUM's third performance production in Vienna, ‘Heimweh’ (2022), was awarded the NESTROY Special Prize in 2023. The VR performance ‘[EOL]. End of Life’ was invited to the Berlin Theatertreffen 2025, among others. DARUM's film and media art projects have been shown in Germany (Hofer Filmtage, Hof; die digitale, Düsseldorf) and in the USA (Seattle International Film Festival, Brooklyn Film Festival). www.darum.at

Arthur Fussy, born in Vienna in 1979, created his first compositions on the piano at the age of seven. He completed courses in Audio Engineering and Bachelor of Recording Arts Honours at the SAE Vienna as well as the Electroacoustic and Experimental Music course at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. He has been working as a freelance composer, sound designer and sound engineer since 2004. Continuous collaboration with the directors Carina Riedl and Bastian Kraft; as a result, numerous works on stages such as the Vienna Burgtheater, the Hamburg Thalia Theatre and the Schauspielhaus Zurich. He was responsible for the music and sound design for parts of the DARUM productions ‘Ungebetene Gäste’ (2019) and ‘Heimweh’ (2022). Through his intensive involvement with electronic sound synthesis, Fussy is also active as a live performer on the modular synthesiser, including as part of the improv collective other:M:other, which also composed the live soundtrack for the DARUM production ‘Alle Lust’. www.arthurfussy.com

Victoria Halper, born 1988 in Toronto, Canada, is a director, video artist and performer. She studied acting and directing at the University of Toronto and emigrated to Austria in 2010, where she worked as an assistant director and guest artist at various theatres (including the Landestheater Niederösterreich, Schauspielhaus Graz and Volkstheater Wien). She has lived in Vienna since 2016 and works at the interface of theatre, film and digital art. In 2018, she received the Startstipendium für Darstellende Kunst for her autobiographical multimedia essay performance about the early death of her father who emigrated to Canada (‘Dad Left’). Since 2018 close collaboration with Kai Krösche. Under the name of the performance label DARUM, which she co-founded, she was nominated for the NESTROY Special Prize in 2019 and 2020 and honoured with it in 2022; with her debut VR project ‘[EOL]. End of Life’ she was invited to the 62nd Berlin Theatertreffen. Her experimental films have screened at the Diagonale, Seattle International Film Festival, Brooklyn Film Festival and others. In 2023, she received a working grant for the City of Vienna's theatres to research audience management strategies in immersive theatre.

Matthias Krische, born in Vienna in 1983, is a stage designer, visual artist and conceptual artist. Since studying object design and temporary spatial concepts at the Vienna School of Art, he has worked as a stage designer and constructor in Vienna. He has worked with artists such as Antje Schupp, Julia Burger, Nora Hertlein, Nives Widauer, Gerhild Steinbuch and Philine Rinnert, Alexander Kratzer, La Fura dels Baus, Nikolaus Stich and Adi Hirschal. He has a long-standing working relationship with director Kai Krösche, with whom he has realised several world premieres and various short film projects since 2007. He has realised several works with DARUM, including ‘Ungebetene Gäste: Was bleibt?’ and ‘Ausgang: Offen’ - both nominated for the Nestroy Prize 2019 and 2020 respectively – as well as the digital art project ‘404-TOTLINK’, the performative installation ‘Letzter Aufguss’ at Schauspiel Leipzig and most recently ‘Alle Lust’, a co-production with Theater am Werk in Vienna.

Kai Krösche, born in Düsseldorf in 1985, is a film and theatre director, author and musician. Inflamed by the possibilities of theatre during an internship with Christoph Schlingensief at the Volksbühne Berlin (2004), he moved to Vienna to realise his own independent directing projects alongside his studies in theatre, film and media studies. He is co-founder of the Viennese performance label DARUM, with which he was nominated for the Nestroy Theatre Prize twice in a row (2019 & 2020), awarded the Nestroy Special Prize in 2023 (for the production ‘Heimweh’) and invited to the Berlin Theatertreffen in 2025 (for the VR project ‘[EOL]. End of Life’), among others. His projects have been shown at various renowned film, theatre and media festivals, including Hofer Filmtage, Rhode Island International Film Festival, Berliner Theatertreffen, Impulse Theater Festival and the digital. www.kai-kroesche.net

Mark Surges studied architecture at RWTH Aachen University and the University of Portsmouth and has since worked as an architect in Düsseldorf and Mönchengladbach. As a member of the BIM Alliance, he specialises in innovative, digital methods for the productive and sustainable handling of architectural processes as well as the creation of three-dimensional architectural models and digital worlds in virtual space. In the field of production design, he has worked on several short films by director Kai Krösche since 2005. He is particularly interested in the artistic exploration of virtual perceptions of space and a focus on so-called liminal spaces as well as questions of perception and the crossing of boundaries between reality and virtuality – topics that he has explored in particular as part of the VR project ‘[EOL]. End of Life’ VR project by DARUM.

Information about the venue

Spatial access

From 18.-21.06. the event takes place in Mülheim an der Ruhr. We will publish the exact location at a later point.

From 3.-6.7. the event takes place at FFT Düsseldorf.
The FFT is located on the first floor of KAP1. You can reach the first floor by lift - the floor is marked in Braille and tactile on the buttons. The lift only stops on the first floor during regular opening hours (starting one hour before each event).

The doors in the FFT are not self opening and are sometimes very difficult to open. If you need assistance getting around the building, please speak to us on site or contact us in advance.

Once you are on the 1st floor, the foyer and the event rooms are accessible without any steps. Stage 1 has an additional gallery that can only be reached via staircase from the foyer.

Distances

At FFT Düsseldorf:
Paid car park approx. 170 metres (UFA Palast).
Distance to ‘Düsseldorf Mainstation’ approx. 150 metres. Depending on the means of transport and platform, the station has a lift and escalator. Current information on operations at bahnhof.de.

Audience situation

[EOL]. End of Life is a fully immersive VR experience. Interaction in the virtual space is performed solely using your hands, without the use of controllers.

Each visitor is given approximately 10 square meters of space to move freely. In virtual reality, you move as you would in the real world. Tools like teleportation or controller-based locomotion are not used, significantly reducing the likelihood of experiencing motion sickness.

You will spend about 85 minutes in VR. There will be brief moments when you can sit down (on the floor), but the performance is designed as a walkable installation within the virtual space, where you will often stand or walk.

​If you have any specific questions about operation, please contact us in advance.

Informationen on Comprehension and Perception

Language

English spoken language and written English. Text-heavy.

Individual time-slots

Each visitor starts individually, at intervals of 10 minutes. You determine the starting time when you buy your ticket. There is an individual introduction to the use of the VR technology.

Content Notes und sensory stimuli

For the VIRTUAL-REALITY-EXPERIENCE [EOL]. End of Life, it is essential that you read and accept the rules of use and limitation of liability before attending the event. These, together with the content notes, can be found in a separate tab. The limitation of liability is available for signature on site.

If you are missing any individually relevant information to help you plan your visit, please contact us.

Informationen on the general organisation

Assistance on site/pick-up service

If you require a pick-up service from the nearest public transport stop or car park, please contact us before your visit at the festival.

Tickets

The VR-Installation can only be visited individualley. Your companion will need to book an individual time slot or will not be able to experience the VR-performance. For festival tickets, you can choose to pay the reduced ticket price. Please select which price you can and wish to pay.
Tickets for 18.6.
Tickets for 19.6.
Tickets for 20.6.
Tickets for 21.6.

Tickets for 3.7.
Tickets for 4.7.
Tickets for 5.7.
Tickets for 6.7.

Contact

We would like to cater for individual requirements for a festival visit (seating, early boarding, pick-up from public transport, etc.) as best we can.

As a festival team, we have irregular working hours, so our availability is not guaranteed at fixed office hours:

• E-Mail: barrierefreiheit@impulsefestival.de
• WhatsApp-Messenger: +49 (0) 1575 5804 172
• Telefon: +49 (0) 202 698 27 280 (You’ll reach an answering machine to arrange a return call. Please leave your name, telephone number and your request.)

For the VIRTUAL-REALITY-EXPERIENCE [EOL]. End of Life, it is essential that you read and accept the rules of use and limitation of liability before attending the event. The limitation of liability is available for signature on site.

If you are missing any individually relevant information to plan your visit, please contact us.

Content

• The piece adresses death, severe disease, natural disasters and suicide.
• Some scenes can trigger feelings of confinement and claustrophobia due to their immersive design.

Light

• Flickering and flashing lights are used.

Sound

• Loud noises and music are used.

TERMS OF USE & Liability Disclaimer

• 1. The use of VR headsets and the associated VR experience is at your own risk.
  NRW KULTURsekretariat / Impulse Festival & DARUM (Victoria Halper & Kai Krösche) assume no liability for physical, mental, or material damages and/or consequential damages resulting from the use of the provided equipment. Visitors are required to handle the provided technology with appropriate care. 
• 2. [EOL]. End of Life has been designed to minimize the occurrence of so-called motion sickness as much as possible. Special attention has been paid to ensuring that, with a few carefully designed exceptions, movements in the virtual world align with movements in the real world. However, it cannot be ruled out that some individuals may still experience motion sickness when using the VR headset. Motion sickness is a phenomenon that can occur during passive movement, similar to seasickness or travel sickness. Possible symptoms include: ·       Nausea·       Consciousness disturbances / disorientation·       Impairment of balance / coordination·       Eye strain, altered visual perception, or visual anomalies·       Severe fatigue, sluggishness·       Excessive sweating, increased salivation·       Muscle twitches, cramps, involuntary movements·       Other symptoms similar to motion sickness If you experience any of these symptoms or feel discomfort in any way, please raise your arm immediately to signal for assistance. The on-site staff will help you remove the headset. Seating and drinking water will be provided.
• 3. In rare, severe cases, symptoms may persist or worsen for hours after use. Therefore, it is recommended to allow sufficient time after the VR experience to readjust to the real world and changing light conditions. Avoid driving, operating heavy machinery, or engaging in visually or physically demanding activities requiring stable balance and hand-eye coordination until you have fully recovered. 
• 4. Please refrain from participating in the VR experience if any of the following apply, or consult your doctor in advance: ·       Pregnancy·       Influence of alcohol or drugs of any kind·       Sleep deprivation, extreme fatigue·       Emotional stress or anxiety, psychiatric disorders·       Epilepsy·       Severe medical conditions (e.g., heart disease)·       Pre-existing visual perception disorders, especially binocular vision impairments·       Symptoms such as headaches, migraines, or nausea·       Balance disorders 
• 5. Please note that the wireless signals emitted by the VR headsets may interfere with medical devices (e.g., pacemakers, hearing aids, defibrillators). If you use such a device, consult your doctor beforehand and discontinue use immediately if you notice any interference.
• 6. The focus of the VR performance is on exploring the virtual landscape. You can rest assured that there will be no jump scares. The movement area is limited by the VR headset. Safety mechanisms have been implemented to visualize the boundaries of the walkable zone, and an acoustic signal will alert you if you leave this safe area. Please move only within the visible boundaries and heed the signal to prevent tripping or collisions with other participants. 
• 7. The use of VR headsets is prohibited for individuals with contagious diseases or infections, particularly those affecting the eyes, skin, or scalp. To ensure hygiene, the headsets will be cleaned and disinfected by staff after each use.
  
• 8. If possible, wear flat shoes while using the VR headset to maintain direct contact with the floor. The use of VR headsets is not recommended for children under 10 years of age. If you wear glasses, you may (and should) keep them on under the VR headset unless they are unusually large (in which case, we recommend wearing contact lenses).
• 9. Some scenes include flashing and flickering lights, as well as loud sounds and music.
• 10. The VR performance addresses themes such as death, serious illness, natural disasters, and suicide.
• 11. Although the VR experience consists solely of artificial images projected before your eyes, some scenes may, due to their immersive design, induce feelings of confinement or claustrophobia.