Gessnerallee
Zürich

«Today is no ordinary day, today is a special day, the day on which I am going to perform a special day.»

The novel «Ulysses» by James Joyce is regarded as ground breaking for the modern novel due to its narrative perspective that focuses on the inside of the protagonist – never before had the possibilities of self-portrayal been explored in this way. Today, the actor Stephan Stock uses James Joyce’s text as a bouncing board for his own wild thought, speech, and self-observation. Stephan Stock is the narrator and the one experiencing at the same time, he narrates himself during an entire day with all its forgotten possibilities. He experiences the day, he reconstructs the day, he builds the day, he deconstructs the day. At some point narrative time and real time fall together, what happens then?

«Each recording of my speaking is an image of myself. This remains insufficient as such, fragmented, in need of a commentary. As soon as I hear the recording I am estranged. This is not my voice, I did not say this. Each recording is like a confession: it can be used against me, even by myself. As soon as something is said its contrary becomes an option as well.
To absolutely portray ourselves remains an unfulfilled yearning. So, we need to continue, try and work on the language, on the forms, the images of and in combination with us. Joyce excels in this. Now it is our turn.»
Stephan Stock