Songs of the Wayfarer

Following the grand opening of PERFORMING DEMOCRACY 2026, there will be a performance of “Songs of the Wayfarer". 

Wed 06. May 2026 | 8 to 9:30 pm  tickets   Sign language interpretation (German sign language / DGS) by a deaf performer and a DGS interpreter
Thu 07. May 2026 | 7.30 to 9 pm tickets   Touch tour at 6:30 p.m. (registration required at ottmann@ewerk-freiburg.de)

“I really love turning into this sort of four-legged creature. All the little places that you can wedge the crutch really right into a corner or into a crack. In Scotland, we’d say nooks and crannies. I get so lost in that sort of play…when the ground really becomes… my companion.” – Claire Cunningham

What does it mean to wander? To seek to scale great heights? What can be learned from those of us who reach for the ground through crutches as 4-legged creatures? What does this mean for our view of our own lives, the path we are on? What do the maps look like when they are redrawn in this way?

Led by her lived-experience as a disabled person, her memory of training as a classical singer and knowledge drawn from the world of mountaineering, and Gustav Mahler’s “Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen”, Claire Cunningham sets out to make a show where she traverses known and unfamiliar landscapes. She navigates wi, Cunningham invites us to pay closer attention to the ways we navigate the physical world, alongside profound loss and change in our lives.

On crutches, she navigates treacherous terrain and leads us to the peaks and resting spots of a deeply personal journey. With subtle humor, she explores scale, time, and energy — the importance of taking breaks, the act of moving forward, and knowing when to turn back.

Claire Cunningham invites us to take a close look at how we move through the physical world while simultaneously experiencing profound loss and change in our lives.

“Claire Cunningham’s performance and singing exude a moving, melancholic atmosphere that leaves enough room for one’s own inner landscapes. She succeeds in creating a strong connection with and among the audience, a sense that we are on a journey together—a hopeful journey." – the curators

*Crip is a political and cultural identity embraced by some disabled individuals and is used by Claire Cunningham herself

In this solo dance piece, Claire Cunningham tells her own story.
She talks about her experiences as a person with a disability.
She recalls her training as a classical singer and sings.
She also draws on her knowledge of mountaineering.
The piece also explores loss and grief in her life.
She goes on a journey, moving through various landscapes with her crutches.

• Both performances are relaxed performances. Alternative seating options are available.
• Early boarding is available. Early boarding begins 15 minutes before the performance starts. The meeting point is in front of the auditorium door.
• A designated quiet space is available before, during, and after the performance. Foyer staff will show you the way.
• Further information on sensory stimuli is available here. An info point with detailed information is also located in the E-WERK foyer before the performances.
• A recorded audio description in German and English  is available at the info´point in the foyer of the E-WERK
• On May 6: Translation into German Sign Language (DGS) by a deaf performer with a DGS interpreter
• For the touch tour on May 7 at 6:30 pm (approx. 20–30 minutes), please register at: ottmann@ewerk-freiburg.de
• Assistance dogs are welcome. Please let us know when purchasing your ticket so that we can be prepared.
• The event will take place without an intermission.

All information on accessibility for “Songs of the Wayfarer” as a pdf 

      
06. May 2026 | 8 pm  
07. May 2026 | 7.30 pm