In 'Play' it is the public that is put on display. This short but virtuoso montage of found footage from mainly black and white films turns out not only to be a feast of recognition, but also gives us the uncomfortable feeling of being 'caught out' in the darkness of the theatre. What is going on on stage is suggested only by the facial expressions and behaviour of the audience: the flirtatious looking around the theatre, the brief knowing glance, the enthusiastic applause and so on. This montage gives rise to a fictional theatre space in which a fictional event takes place, unseen but captivating. The tension runs from expectation, through interest and utter excitement to deep aversion. Matthias Müller is a striking figure in German experimental film. He is known for his montages of pictures from films of the fifties and sixties, in which he repeatedly returns to cinema as a primal experience and makes the collective consciousness tangible. He has also made associative and more contemplative films, often in the style of a diary. His work is shown in museums and galleries as well as at film festivals.