A weekend of firsts brings a twist on the Titanic

Patricia McNeill Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts Preview

Do you remember your… Patricia McNeill Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts Preview

Do you remember your first? Your first kiss? Your first plane ride? Your first failed exam? Well, this month you can experience nine more “firsts” with the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts.

In venues throughout the city, Pittsburgh will host theatre companies from Germany, Japan, England, Spain, Russia and Poland. They will present works never before seen in the United States, complementing the 54th Carnegie International, which leads North America in showcasing new art and new artists from around the world. Enjoy it while you can, though. Each show only runs one weekend, so prepare yourself for some enjoyable nights and some fascinating experiences. Three different companies will perform this weekend:

“Ship in a View”

Pappa TARAHUMARA, Japan

Byham Theater, 101 Sixth St.

Fri., Oct. 8, 8 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 9, 8 p.m.

Student Tickets $10 w/ ID

This company blends ancient and modern theatre styles with contemporary dance and Japanese opera to create an eclectic theatre experience that will appeal to anyone with an open mind. Using — with equal emphasis — lighting, costumes, music and stage objects, director Hiroshi Koike has created a performance based on his own memories. Evoking images of a schoolyard, a distant ship and a seaside town, Koike beautifully balances the intimacy and privacy of his memories with the candidness needed to share them.

“Titanic” Theatre Titanick, Germany

North Shore Riverfront Park

Located between Heinz Field and PNC Park

Fri., Oct. 8, 10:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 9, midnight

Sun., Oct. 10, 8 p.m.

Free, No Tickets Required

If you thought James Cameron’s “Titanic” was something to experience on the big screen, you’ll enjoy experiencing it firsthand — sort of. Germany’s Theatre Titanick will construct and board an 80-foot ship right before your eyes at the North Shore Riverfront Park.

Combining live music, special effects, massive objects and fantastic figures, this company will take you through the ship’s construction and downfall in a way never before seen. Through an almost overwhelming feast for the senses, Theatre Titanick explores the underlying themes of morality, humanity, nature and technology.

“Walk With Me…”

lone twin, England

Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky St.

Sat., Oct. 9, 2 and 5 p.m.

Student Tickets $10 w/ ID

“Clouds Over the Warhol”

lone twin, England

In front of the Warhol Museum

Sun., Oct. 10, 2 p.m.

Free, No Tickets Required

Gregg Whelan and Gary Winters, who make up the company lone twin, will take you on a journey — literally. These two performers have spent the past four years traversing cities and towns across the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, Finland and Portugal — all by foot! They used their experiences to create the songs, movements and narratives of their performances.

However, they add something a little different to the standard travel narrative — they incorporate water. Whether it is water from rivers, streams, lakes, the moisture of their breath or their own sweat, each performance features an interaction with water.

“Clouds Over the Warhol” will take audience members on a walking journey through the streets of Pittsburgh. Along the way, they will use water to create a spectacle of clouds and, in some ways, become the weather they have created as they tell their stories.

If this innovative and original performance leaves you with some questions or doubts, lone twin’s “Walk With Me…” will clear up some confusion (or maybe add to it) with a lecture-demonstration and a video, taking a look at the why and how of the company and allowing audience members to ask questions.