Trommeln in der Nacht (Drums in the Night)

Bertolt Brecht’s play “Trommeln in der Nacht (Drums in the Night)” premiered at Münchner Kammerspiele on 29 September 1922, directed by Otto Falckenberg. Around a hundred years later, Christoph Rüping stages an excitingly new version of the drama at the same theatre: By having his cast imitate the acting attitudes of the past and confront them with the theatre conventions of today, he pays homage to the old and praises what is to come. It is the story of Andreas Kragler, who returns home from the war and must make a choice between revolution and love. Outside, the Spartacus uprising is raging, but inside, private happiness awaits. The young Brecht sent his protagonist to Anna’s bed, but later in life, the playwright regretted his decision. And so Rüping has the company play one version “by Brecht” and one “based on Brecht”. Both times, the seductive force of the theatre remains beyond doubt. Over two hours, the company creates an immensely entertaining, touching and encouraging show about the power of the theatre, the departure towards a new day and love as an all too broad subject.

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