We Find Something Better Than Death Everywhere

Description

A singspiel by Martin Heckmanns (text) and Masha Qrella (music). Like in the Grimm fairy tale, donkey, dog, cat, and hen form a band — because: "Those who sing are not dead." But unlike the Bremen Town Musicians, the four announce their oppressors themselves: Gray Donkey has worked long enough to exhaustion, Clever Dog no longer wants to guard his employer's prosperity on a chain, Commun Hen escapes from mass animal husbandry with his last strength, and Black Cat becomes pregnant and is pulled half-dead from the sea. Together, they dare to revolt for a solidaric world. With songs and their discussion enthusiasm, they demonstrate fabulously how hope can be preserved in times of global crises. On their way, they again encounter the landowners they have fled from. While Mr. and Mrs. von zur Mühlen tremble for their wealth, the couple receives a terrible realization in a dream: "We are the robbers in this story." Their "moxie" is just a sparkling wine brand. Martin Heckmanns’ award-winning piece (finalist Mülheimer Dramatikpreis 2023) is an exhilarating poetic-political parable — a "bitingly wicked discourse fairy tale." After the acclaimed world premiere in Kassel, Friederike Heller’s staging now travels from city to city. The musician Masha Qrella accompanies the quartet live; singing and acting merge into a singspiel that explores the roots of our coexistence. Whether something "better" can actually be found in the end remains intentionally open. This is precisely the strength of this clever and sensitive text, which questions the foundations of our society and points far beyond the fairy-tale realm. With Jakob Benkhofer, Clemens Dönicke, Katharina Brehl, Zazie Cayla, Lisa Natalie Arnold, Hagen Oechel, and others.
Live music: Masha Qrella and Andreas Bonkowski
Director: Friederike Heller
Stage and costumes: Sabine Kohlstedt
Additional information:
Play introduction: 7:00 PM in the Small Hall

Highlights

• Singspiel by Martin Heckmanns and Masha Qrella
• Captivating poetic-political parable
• Live music and singing

General Information

The singspiel "We Find Something Better Than Death Everywhere" tells the story of donkey, dog, cat, and hen who form a band and fight for a solidaric world. After the successful world premiere in Kassel, the staging by Friederike Heller is now performed in Villingen-Schwenningen.

Location

Romäusring 2, 78050 Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany

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