Fast-paced premiere

Punchline fireworks in a thunderstorm of steel from the right

(Bild: aktionstheater ensemble)

Distressing, amusing and challenging: the award-winning aktionstheater ensemble celebrated its premiere in Bregenz and delivered a breathless evening of theater. 

To mark its 35th anniversary, the aktionstheater ensemble presented the new play "All about me. No life after me" at the Kornmarkttheater in Bregenz on Thursday. The title, with its turbonarcissistic tone, suggested that the production would not be short on brutality - and so it was. In keeping with the action theater tradition, the actors took to the stage as themselves and worked through their desires, dreams, fears and the abundance of threatening backdrops - they were dressed appropriately: smeared work overalls with enough freedom of movement to go for each other's throats.

Right at the beginning, director Martin Gruber drops one of the core sentences of the play as if in passing. When Thomas and Isabella argue about how important or unimportant theater work is, how much art can change the world or not, Kirstin says: "Both are true". However, the shyly sober words are unable to unite the disputants; the reconciliatory power remains subjunctive.

(Bild: aktionstheater Ensemble)

Topics spoil the fun evening
The characters' fears are dissected no less radically: Tamara definitely doesn't want to be buried in Vienna, because you could end up lying next to a Nazi there. "That will be hard to avoid" is the response from her dear colleagues. Tamara doesn't have it easy in other ways either, she isn't invited to the chill evenings together. Why? "Because we always have to behave like this on your topics: Israel and the war."

Benjamin's love ranking of the individual members of the ensemble also hurts. In response to placement complaints, he says: "I would have liked to rank you higher, but did we ever have a nice moment?" Gruber strings these scenes closely together, interwoven with choreographic elements and music that provides a constant soundtrack: Never rest, never stand still, never come to yourself.

Can they work together?
The piece shows the disjointedness, the kind of communication that is disturbed by all kinds of interference, which docks onto the most diverse levels. Even where no suitable synapses are available. Resa Lut also provides video installations that hang menacingly over the performers like a Nazi steel thunderstorm. The aktionstheater ensemble rushes through punchlines, ruthlessness, longings and fear of the future - and the audience rushes along with them. At the very end, Kirstin shows how togetherness can still work: with step-by-step instructions for a hug. Imitation recommended.