DER PLATZ

2021, Schauspiel Dortmund

With Mervan Ürkmez, Raphael Westermeier, Linda Elsner, Lola Fuchs, Antje Prust, Marlena Keil, houaïda

Directed by Julia Wissert Stage: För Künkel Costume Mascha Mihoa-Bischoff Music (live): houaïda Dramaturgy: Hannah Saar Light: Henning Streck Sound Technician: Christoph Wassenberg Assistant Director: Ruven Bircks Stage Design Assistant: Elizaveta Veprinskaja Costume Design Assistant: Meike Kurella Stage Manager: Tilla Wien Soufflage :Ruth Ziegler

In Der Platz, the French writer Annie Ernaux embarks on a literary examination of her relationship with her deceased father and her origins. As early as 1983 – long before Didier Eribon combined autobiographical narrative with sociological analysis in his bestseller Return to Reims – Annie Ernaux, in quiet and tender introspection, examined the challenges and losses associated with rising the social ladder from the working class. What had to be sacrificed so that she could study as the first in the family? What must be left behind to live up to the expectations that come with this opportunity? And what has to be learned in order to find one's way around the rules of the bourgeoisie? Julia Wissert explores these questions with the ensemble and will deal with the topics of origin and class in theatrical research.

"Live musician houaïda accompanies Annie Ernaux' search for the common thread in her life with spherical sounds, unusual rhythms and a strong voice. (...) Julia Wissert impressively shows that pure, classic spoken theater works and is captivating even without the usual video and external text influences.”

Deutschlandfunk Kultur