Virtual Weapons (Brecht Fragments)
Dialogue-based VR Installation (2025 - today)
25min / Slot
Video Series
120 x 60sec
About
In "Virtual Weapons", participants enter the hybrid world “Brecht into the Metaverse”—a physical and VRChat space that function simultaneously as a film set, theatre stage, and production environment. Director Katharina Haverich and performer Konstantin Bez invite participants to briefly inhabit both the virtual and physical bodies of the play’s characters. Guided by the experienced performer, participants engage in a playful exploration of fragmented, undramatic positions of conflict in times of war.
On the walls are char coal drawings from the VR world building process. Printed dialogue fragments from Bertolt Brecht's “Señora Carrar’s Rifles” are positioned in display stands on the table, chronologically sorted and ready for participants to be picked up for their slot. The participant gets briefed on the play and its context, they enter a short rehearsal with Konstantin Bez near the 2m x 1m diorama of the virtual world, which gives an overview of the key locations in the theatrical play.
A few VR headsets make it possible for a small group of participants to enter VR simultaneously - depending on the number of characters that are needed for the particular fragment. The gaming PC serves as a virtual camera in the private VR instance, in which Konstantin Bez and the participants - now his temporary co-performers - gather for the scene to come. A large monitor gives audience members who walk past an insight into what is happening: they see the participant IRL and their characters in the virtual world. They can observe the production process that is taking place.
Slot by slot, the play is being performed by audience members at different conferences and festivals. The scenes are filmed by Katharina Haverich to be edited into one full staging of the play once filming is completed.
Showings
Immersive Tech Week
Rotterdam, The Netherlands (2026)
From Stage to State. The Role of Art in Shaping Democratic Spaces Conference
Kraków, Poland (2026)
Collaboration with post-graduate students from the University of East London
Fragement #30
Berlin, Germany (2026)
PlayLab, Campfire Conference
Fragments #21 - #30
Skövde, Sweden (2025)
Stary Browar, Embodied Realms Festival
Fragments #14 - #20
Poznań, Poland (2025)
Kühlhaus, Berlin Art Week / EMIXAR II
Fragments #4 - #13
Berlin, Germany (2025)
Berlin School of VR, during Berlinale
Fragments #1 - #3
Berlin, Germany (2025)
Team
Katharina Haverich - Concept, Direction, VR camera
Konstantin Bez - Performer & VR Guide
Sophie Messerschmidt - Editor
Ymusic GmbH - Producer
Players (in chronological order)
Atahan Çetinkaya
Mads Damsbo
Dojiang Wang
Marc Schröppel
Nicolaas van Diepen
Jinyi Zhang
Arto Buhmann
Alexandra Wolf
Daithi Magner
Weronika Lewandowska
Ula Przybylska
Elena Stingl
Noah Willumsen
Joachim Wetaga
Albert Deblessem
Tymoteusz Malecki
Michael Wojciechovski
Maksymilian Blaszczyk
Nina Chrzastek
Riszard W. Kluszczynski
Aleksandra Nowicka
Patrycja Hoderna
Mateusz Karpinski
Mania Gruta
Paulina Kucharska
Anna Zalejska
Marek Straszak
Agata Elsmer
Rubert Rakowski
Katarzyna Rakowska
Michal Szulzky
Roman Bromboszuz
Oliwia Warnel
Ebba Theorell
Camilla Settergren
Anders Ericson
Simone Hildén
Haoran Wang
Srichand Dontha
Lucy
David
Francisco
Team Virtual World
Katharina Haverich - Concept
Dr. Roman Miletitch - Technological Artist
Dr. Lucas Kuster - Art Direction
Dr. Roman Miletitch, Helen Lam, Zenker Zwonge, Daniel Boubet, INVR.SPACE: Sönke Kirchhof (Executive Producer), Jessica Zippel (Line Producer), Timo Heikkilä (Developer), Yume Tanaka (Developer / 3D Artist), Zacharoula Giarlou (3D Artist), Alexander Dietz (3D Artist), Niklar Schmidt (3D Artist) - VR Design / VR Creators
Rambazamba Atelier: Mario Peinze, Sabine Kaemmel, Thomas Zwerger - Co-Design Virtual World
Michael Hoppe - Sound
Lenn Blaschke - Research and Key-Concept Accessible Virtual Stage
Ymusic GmbH - Producer
Team Diorama
Katharina Haverich - Concept
Franz Thöricht - Design & Building
Christopher Hotti Böhm - 3D Print
Michael Baumann - Testing
Ymusic GmbH - Producer
Virtual World funded by
