Playhouse Vienna

Drifting and drifting in the river of life

The Schauspielhaus bathes the banks of the Hudson River in theatrical fog.(Bild: Schauspielhaus Wien / © Robert Tappert)

World premiere: In "Am Fluss" by Mazlum Nergiz, the Schauspielhaus invites you to the Hudson River - and lets a great ensemble meander all too directionlessly.

The Hudson River must be flowing somewhere in Porzellangasse at the moment. Its old harbor has been relocated from New York to the Schauspielhaus behind a wooden shed. In "Am Fluss", Mazlum Nergiz has explored what the Hudson, its old harbor, a great river in general, has to offer.

For example, sex researcher Wilhelm Reich, whose books were burned on the banks of the Hudson in 1956. He screams his rage from behind the board pile. In 1975, artist Gordon Matta Clark will tear it down in order to cut holes in the old harbor buildings with a chainsaw.

Where gays now meet for sex. Christopher and Dan are also the two most strongly developed characters in this rather watery, meandering theater text.

In between, performance artist Ana Mendieta makes her appearance. In 1985, she fell to her death from the 38th floor a few kilometers from the port under circumstances that remain unexplained to this day.

He also comes into play with Aids. Dan dies of it. Before that, director Christiane Pohle, who strives for form, lets a shrill camp defilee whirl across the stage. The great strength of the evening, performed in German, Slovakian and surtitles, is the great actors. And the fact that it is a co-production with the Slovak National Theatre, which is under severe pressure from the right.