“De upplysta” (“The enlightened”) is an interactive place specific performance created together with Teater Insite, light designer Ilkka Häikiö, and composer Stefan Klaverdahl, taking place in an old industrial roundhouse area in Malmö.

The performance was a tribute to sci fi, inspired by the classic novel “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad. It was also inspired by “Utrota varenda jävel” by Sven Lindqvist; a book on the mechanisms behind colonialism and rasism. It speaks of the necessity of “otherness”, the objectification of the exploited party, to perform these cruel actions towards someone, and how humans have been performing them throughout the history of mankind.

We’re now aiming to colonize space, at the same time as we’re fearing other aliens coming here. It’s sometimes easier to believe that aliens would perform horrid actions on us than fellow humans. It’s also easier to excuse exploitation by claiming that the victims are less evolved lifeforms; as we would probably be seen by future generations of humans.

It’s said that we’re the first generation having knowledge about our environmental impact on Earth, and the last generation able to prevent the destruction due to our pollution. Will future generations think we deserve this amazing world, when we destroy it without caring about them?

After registering for the performance the audience receives an invitation to the reopening party for K Research Institute, and the revealing of its latest scientific breakthrough; harvesting environmental friendly energy from black holes.

The possibility of “upgrading” yourself, by calibrating your molecular receptivity for lightwaves in beneficial frequencies, is also offered.

At the reception it turns out that the head of the institute – the mysterious genius K – has disappeared. The troubled journalist Marlow has come in vain for his interview with K, but gets an assignment by the Head Coordinator; to find K and his last formula.

Image; The Head Coordinator giving the opening speech at the ceremony, revealing that she and her research assistants are from another galaxy, here to help us save the Earth through techniques of manipulating particles and wave frequencies.

As Marlow and the audience find their way around the institute they discover messages from K, dubious information on what has happened, and what the research really is about.

Image; Marlow searching for clues in the in the chaotic office of the vanished K. He now knows that the Head Coordinator is from a future Earth, not another galaxy, but not why she lies about it, or how he can stop her. 

Image; Marlow played by Gabriel Flores Jair, photo by Ilkka Häikkiö.

Image; Besides harvesting energy from black holes K worked on how to transport water from our present Earth to the future Earth; the real home of the Head Coordinator. Thus the various installations and experiments on water at the Institute. 

Image; The audience interacting with an experiment; plants talking and making music when being touched, thus displaying a hidden message from K. 

K lived under the impression that the Head Coordinator was from another galaxy, and that the habitants of the worlds they visited together were cyberpeople; simple shadows of humans, not full worthy beings, and not capable to think and feel as deep as humans. When he understood his mistake, and the real intentions of the Head Coordinator, he crumbled. He disappeared together with his last formula, and the intention to destroy the Earth to let the Universe reboot. It’s just a matter of time before humanity destroys it anyway, and this way he would lessen the suffering.

Image; The audience interacting with Disa; one of the “cyberpersons” K brought back here from another world. Disa is from Earth though, from the time of the Medieval witch hunting. K saved her from the stake, but made her die a thousand deaths for his research. 

Image; Since the cyberpeople consist mainly of water, can work and move, they made perfect vessels for transportation to the future Earth. 

Image; The Head Coordinator and her assistants starting the opening process of the portal to the supermassive black hole, to show the audience their power and win them over.  

Image; The three norns – Urd, Verdandi and Skuld – have followed the actions of K, the Head Coordinator and Marlow, and helped the audience find clues about what happened. Now they suddenly appear and freezes time; to stop the process of the destruction of the Earth, to rewind and reboot, and give humanity a new chance to learn and start over.