Rolf Brettschneider has withdrawn to die. It is cold outside; the wind whistles round the house. A good day to go. For many years he has been preparing for this moment – meticulously, thoughtfully and joyfully, for the life he was forced to lead, for some reason unknown to him, was never a source of joy to him.
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Du - meine Liebe - Tod
And he lived it only because he simply could not ignore or abandon his family, his fellow human beings and the social framework into which he was born. His thoroughly ‘social’ nature, his compassion, his sense of duty and all that other ‘being good and kind’ stuff are innate weaknesses, he says – he can’t help it. That’s just the way it is.
But now, after 60 years, he feels the time has come when he can leave with a clear conscience. Everything and everyone is taken care of. So there he sits, alone in his secret refuge, sorting out his final affairs, when suddenly the doorbell rings…
In this one-act play, the author Michael Reinhold Schmitz explores our relationship with death and, of course, with life, for one cannot exist without the other. The play also touches on uncomfortable questions, but never in a didactic or admonishing way; rather, it is always searching and full of hope. And amidst all the fear with which we often face death, a great deal of love creeps in almost unnoticed.
Text and music: Michael Reinhold Schmitz
Performers and directors: Michael Reinhold Schmitz and Svenja Otto
Cast:
Svenja Otto as ‘Death’,
Michael Reinhold Schmitz as Rolf Brettschneider
Lighting and sound: Wolf-Erik Schulz
Costumes: Jana Baumann
Stage design: Michael Reinhold Schmitz
Set design/construction: Holger Meergarten
A production by the KungerKiezTheater
(c) Michael Reinhold Schmitz
Additional information
Accessibility
The KungerKiez Theatre is accessible to wheelchair users. There is an accessible toilet.
