Michael Kohlhaas is an honest and kind-hearted horse trader. On his way to Dresden to sell horses, he passed through a checkpoint at a castle, where he was asked to present a permit. As there had never been such a requirement before, Kohlhaas had no choice but to leave behind his servant Herse and two fine black horses as collateral. However, after arriving in Dresden, he learned that the so-called permit was nothing but a fabricated scam concocted by a nobleman, the Junker.

 

When Kohlhaas returned to the castle, he found that his horses were already emaciated and his servant had been thrown out. Kohlhaas refused to take back the horses and returned home. Upon discovering that Herse had also been severely mistreated, Kohlhaas angrily filed a petition. The governor of Dresden promised to support his appeal, but a minister—who happened to be a relative of the Junker—withheld the complaint and refused to process it.

Kohlhaas encountered obstacle after obstacle, and all his efforts met with no response. His wife tried to deliver a petition on his behalf, but was fatally stabbed by a guard's spear. This blow pushed Kohlhaas over the edge. He resorted to extreme measures and became an arsonist and murderer.At last, the injustice Kohlhaas had suffered received public attention, but he also had to face legal punishment.

 

Michael Kohlhaas is a novella by Heinrich von Kleist, regarded as a classic of German literature for its directness and urgency of language. It was previously adapted into the film Michael Kohlhaas, starring Mads Mikkelsen. This Schaubühne’s work has been transposed from its original 16th-century setting into the modern day, utilizing live projections, smartphone streaming, and other contemporary techniques to explore profound questions about the boundaries of justice and the legitimacy of revenge. “The question of how one can attain justice is extremely complex,” says Simon McBurney. It raises provocative questions: In certain circumstances, can breaking the law be a justified means to achieve justice? What forms of resistance are appropriate and effective?

Original Work
Michael Kohlhaas is considered a classic of German Romantic literature, while also holding great contemporary relevance. It illustrates the powerlessness of individuals under oppressive social systems and how decisions are made under extreme pressure.

The book explores the complex relationship between revenge and justice. Kohlhaas initially acts to protect himself and his rights, but his quest for revenge gradually becomes blind and irrational. In the end, he transforms from a righteous victim into a violent avenger, even losing his moral compass.

In addition, the novel addresses themes of social injustice, the corruption of power, and the conflict between the individual and the system. Kohlhaas’s story reveals how a person, when faced with an unjust system, may resort to extreme measures to fight for their rights. However, these actions do not lead to ultimate victory, but instead result in greater pain and loss.

Heinrich von Kleist’s writing style is tight and full of tension. He often uses psychological description and internal struggles to portray the complexity of his characters. The story’s structure is concise, and the character development is profound, making the novel not just a tale of revenge, but also a deep reflection on human nature, morality, and social systems.

MEDIA PRESS
But the way Simon McBurney and his co-director Annabelle Arden [...] create a highly emotional play that has you tense on the edge of your seat, is spectacular.
(rbbKultur, 2 July 2021)

They make it [the text] resound with the highly concentrated and excellently coordinated ensemble.
(SWR2, 2 July 2021)

Kleist's story, with all its twists and turns, is told in such a gripping and comprehensible way in this version by the creative team, the dramaturg Maja Zade and the ensemble, as it has rarely been experienced before.
(Tagesspiegel, 3 July 2021)

 

CAST AND CREW
Director: Simon McBurney, Annabel Arden
Stage Design: Magda Willi
Costume Design: Moritz Junge
Sound Design: Benjamin Grant
Assistance Sound Design: Joe Dines
Video: Luke Halls
Assistance Video: Zakk Hein, Sébastien Dupouey
Dramaturgy: Maja Zade
Lighting Design: Erich Schneider
Production Management London/GB: Judith Dimant/Wayward Productions
With: Robert Beyer, Moritz Gottwald, Laurenz Laufenberg, David Ruland, Genija Rykova, Renato Schuch
In Cooperation with Wayward Productions, London

DIRECTOR

 

Simon McBurney: The director, actor and writer was born in Cambridge (UK) and is co-founder and artistic director of the Complicité theatre company. His productions have been staged around the world and have received more than fifty awards. He has also directed work at the English National Opera, on Broadway, at the Festival d’Avignon and De Nederlandse Opera. His numerous appearances as an actor in cinema and on television include roles in Magic in the Moonlight (2014, directed by Woody Allen), Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation(2015, directed by Christopher McQuarrie) and Siberia(2020, directed by Abel Ferrara). In 2005, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama. His other numerous accolades include a Laurence Olivier Award in 1998, the Konrad Wolf Prize from the German Academy of Arts in 2008 and the Yomiuri Theatre Award in 2009.

Annabel Arden: The actor and director was born in London, in 1983, co-founded the Complicité theatre company with Simon McBurney and Marcello Magni. Her directing work at the company includes The Visit (1989), The Winter’s Tale and The Lion boy (2013). Her work balances commercial appeal with artistic value, touching audiences with its inspiring style. She has acted in Complicité plays such as The Street of Crocodiles (1992) and has collaborated artistically on the productions The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol (1994), Out of a House Walked a Man (1995) and Mnemonic (1999). Annabel Arden has also directed work at Opera North, the English National Opera, the National Theatre, the Arcola Theatre and for the BBC. She won the Time Out Award in 1987, the Olivier Award in 1991 and the European Woman of Achievement Award in 2003.

 

MAIN ACTOR: Renato Schuch

 

 

Member of the Schaubühne ensemble since 2015. Born in São Paulo (Brazil), grew up in Münster. Studied acting at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. Guest engagements at the Thalia Theater and Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg. Member of the ensemble at the Schauspiel Köln. Collaborations with Jette Steckel, Andreas Kriegenburg, Daniel Wahl, Karin Henkel and Sebastian Nübling, among others. Appearances in films and on television including in the series Dogs of Berlin (2018) and in the films Die schwarzen Brüder (2013, directed by Xavier Koller) and Dora or The Sexual Neuroses of Our Parents (2015, directed by Stina Werenfels). 2008 Rolf Mares Award, Best Actor at the 2020 Big Shorts Awards. Invitation to the 2013 Theatertreffen in Berlin with Lange Reise durch die Nacht«(directed by Katie Mitchell).

 

PRODUCTION
The Schaubühne Berlin was founded in 1962 and is nowadays one of the most famous and renowned theatres in the German speaking area. Since 1999 it has been led by artistic director Thomas Ostermeier. As one of Berlin's five largest ensemble and repertory theatres, it stands for modern, contemporary theatre. The Schaubühne Berlin premieres a minimum of ten shows per season alongside a repertoire of about 30 existing productions.

 

The repertoire is characterised by a critical and analytical, often political view of social reality and encompasses both classical and contemporary plays. The permanent ensemble includes the actors Lars Eidinger, Caroline Peters, Joachim Meyerhoff and Ursina Lardi, among others. International exchange is essential to the work of the Schaubühne Berlin. The theatre frequently offers a platform to notable directors from abroad. At the same time, the Schaubühne Berlin showcases its productions abroad in over 100 performances every year.