An “intoxicating theatre evening” vividly depicting an authentic experience with a self-destructive drug addiction. This highly acclaimed production, directed by Sebastian Klink, held the top position in the renowned nachtkritik.de charts for weeks. The only ensemble to receive two invitations to the prestigious Theatertreffen Berlin this year, it will be presenting its work for the first time in Olomouc. A truly expressive opening of the 23 Flora!
The production in German with Czech surtitles will be followed by a DISCUSSION.

Eric and the drug – they have been together since he was fourteen. He calls it Christin or Christ'l, being like a sister to him. From photo albums and family talks he learns he is not the first addict in the family: both his great grandfathers, bomber pilots, were issued amphetamines directly from the Wehrmacht. The drug that makes Eric “fly” becomes his femme fatale…

Methamphetamine (pervitin, crystal meth or tschecho in Czech) is a very common “popular drug” in Saxony and often comes from Czech “kitchens”. Eric Stehfest, the well-known German actor, fought the addiction to blue crystals for years. When the Staatsschauspiel Dresden staged his autobiographical debut 9 Tage wach (9 Days Awake, 2017), a sensation was born. The breath-taking, production by the creative team around director Sebastian Klink invites the audience to dive deep into the bottom of a drug addict’s head through suggestive images, an expressive performance and captivating live music.

“Moritz Kienemann shows the character’s drug-induced states directly on his body. Just as his speech and his facial expressions change to a contorted face, when Eric finds himself at the very bottom again. Plaintive, excessive, with violent brutality, overwhelmed: his range is unbelievable. (…) The equally amazing trio of actors ignites the full force of this intoxicating evening. It is a warning without well-worn labels but with a distinct implicit meaning.”

 

“Breath-taking Tour de Force.”

Theatre director Sebastian Klink (1976) studied philosophy, theatre studies and modern German literature at Humboldt University in Berlin (1996–2002), later directing at Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts (2002–2006). He was a guitarist in a band called Voltron between 2003 and 2011.

He became part of the Volksbühne, Berlin, in 2010 as the assistant director of Frank Castorf, but also staged there his own productions such as Fatzerfragment by Brecht, Shakespeare’s tragedy Titus Andronicus, a world premiere of adaptation of Blutsbrüder/Blood Brothers based on Ernst Haffner’s novel, Exodus by DJ Stalingrad or a play by Russian dramatist Venedikt V. Yerofeyev Reise nach Petuschki /Moscow-Petuschki. He is still cooperating on Frank Castorf’s projects as Artistic Production Manager. Sebastian Klink has been a free-lance artist since August 2017. His adaptation of Robert Musil’s novel Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften / The Man Without Qualities at the Konzert Theater in Bern, Switzerland in 2018 met with great critical acclaim. The production 9 Tage wach / 9 Days Awake is his debut at the Staatsschauspiel Dresden. The composer Kriton Klingler-Ioannides who accompanies the production with his live music, will then present his work in a concert set.

 

Eric Stehfest (1989) is a German theatre and TV actor from Dresden. He studied acting at Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Academy in Leipzig from 2009 to 2013 and acted at the same time at Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin. He played the part of Chris Lehmann in the „never-ending“ TV series Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (Good times, bad times) broadcast on RTL between 2014 and 2019; he took part in the dance show Let’s Dance on RTL in 2006. Stehfest shocked audiences in spring 2017 when his autobiographical novel 9 Tage wach (9 Days Awake), where he comes to terms with his 10 year addiction to crystal meth, was published.
 

 

Staatsschauspiel Dresden (State Theatre Dresden) occupies two buildings. Großes Haus has operated next to the Zwinger Baroque complex non-stop since 1913 – except for a renovation break after the bombardment of Dresden in February 1945. The second building – Kleines Haus – opened in 2005, has two other chamber scenes – Studiobühne and Werkstattbühne.

Joachim Klement has been the theatre intendant (artistic director) since 2017; he invites renowned directors to cooperate e.g. Volker Lösch, Ulrich Rasche, Sebastian Hartmann, Árpád Schilling and others. With the choice of themes, new plays and also staging methods, the theatre has rapidly turned towards the present. The move was successful since the formerly “rather peripheral drama scene in Dresden” was the only ensemble to receive two invitations to the prestigious Theatertreffen Berlin this year: with their production Erniedrigte und Beleidigte (The Insulted and Humiliated; directed by Sebastian Hartmann) and Das große Heft (The Notebook; directed by Ulrich Rasche).

Staatsschauspiel Dresden also stands out with their Bürgerbühne ensemble (citizen’s stage), focused on work with non-actors – people from Dresden of different social status (so-called Experts of the Everyday), bearing a strong often traumatic life experience. The project Meine Akten und ich (My File and I, 2006, directed by Clemens Bechtel), for example, which connected the fates of both Stasi offenders and victims. This documentary approach was emblematic for the Rimini Protokoll group, who worked with the Dresden scene as well. As the pioneer of the citizens’ theatre, Staatsschauspiel Dresden will host OUR STAGE 2019 – the 4^th edition of the European Bürgerbühne Festival. It has also hosted the European Festival of young directors called Fast Forward since 2017.