Turn On/Turn Off –haiku, grotesque reflection and symbolic drama. All that is being brought to you by the National Theatre Mann
10. 6. 2017, 16.00 hrs, Drama stage, SND New Building
Port town. Every Monday, Mrs Z, meets with Mr A. Mr A with Mr Y, and Mrs Y with Mr Z. The day is the same, only the hour is different. Three couples cheating on each other in the same space. Only the receptionist is aware of their clandestine encounters. He, too, is enamoured, but distance keeps him away from his beloved. Yet the instant that she fleetingly appears, changes everything. As if turning light on and instantly off. The mere fleeting moment is enough for the lives of those concerned to turn upside down. That very moment shall decide on the value of love and on what self-sacrifice actually means.
A story of relationship affected by catastrophe, was commissioned by a theatre in Tokyo in 2012–2013 and was inspired by the Fukushima disaster. It was written by one of the foremost German playwrightsof the day, Ronald Schimmelpfenning, laureate of numerous awards topped by the Mulheimer Dramatikerpreis, which he received in 2010 for the play The Golden Dragon.
The director of the Mannheim production, Burkhard Kosminski placed individual scenes together like a puzzle. Small and even tinier images and scenes are based on individual outcomes, meaningfulness and linguistic manoeuvring. Deep dialogues alternate with small talk on the line between comedy and tragedy.The director, who is the Artistic Director at the National Theatre Mannheimsince 2006, has transformed the theatre into the artistic–author establishment. The theatre has moved from the interpretation of classics to the quest for new playwrights and the creation of space to be discovered. Mr Kosminskihas previously directed the play August:Osage County by Tracy Letts, the Pulitzer Prize laureate. Mr Kosminsky has received the Best Director Award for the première of the Thomas Jonigh play You Shall Give Me Grandsonsand has collected six prizes at the US Drama–Logue Awards. The play was lauded for what was taken as the best directorial work on the West Coast.
Before hisinvolvement with the National Theatre Mannheim, Burkhard Kosmisnki worked at the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus, the Shaubuhne Berlin and the Schauspiel Frankfurt.
A chance to see haiku poetry under the directorialguidance by BurkhardKosminski is brought to you as the play Turn On/Turn Off during the international theatre festival Eurokontext.sk.
The performance will be accompanied by Slovak and English subtitles.
Tickets are available in SND Box Office and online at www.eurokontext.sk. Telephone reservations can be made at (+421) 2 204 72 289.