As of: April 6, 2024, 2:58 p.m
By: Michael Schleicher
Comments
Press
Split
The top performers of the evening (from left): Şafak Şengül, Stefan Merki, Wiebke Puls, Vincent Redetzki and Eva Bay. © Judith Buss Photography
Nora Abdel-Maksoud staged her new play “Doping” at the Munich Kammerspiele. It is also a reckoning with the FDP. Our premiere review:
The fish in the pan actually goes crazy. “Doping”, the new comedy by Nora Abdel-Maksoud, is a plunge into theatrical pleasure; The premiere on Friday (April 5, 2024) in the Kammerspiele was not only loudly applauded at the end, but was repeatedly interrupted by laughter and applause. Finally, the Munich author combines punchlines with politics in these just over 90 minutes; She entertains at times in a coarse manner, at times in a subtle way, but balances the text in such a way that it always has a hand's breadth of water under its keel - i.e. depth. The five-member ensemble with which Abdel-Maksoud staged “Doping” plays with speed and precision and is always careful not to slip into caricature, at least not too much. No, this boat won't capsize.
“Doping” by Nora Abdel-Maksoud was commissioned by the Munich Kammerspiele
The 41-year-old released “Jeeps” here three years ago; The satire about inheritance is still running successfully at the house. Your new work takes place on Sylt, where the money is at home and also goes on vacation. There, local politician Lütje Wesel is entering the home straight of the election campaign for the FDP. The word “market” sends sparks into his and his team’s loins, they miss one when it comes to “high performers” – and they are all excited about performance, performance, performance. But during a speech, when he celebrates the freedom of the will and people as “decision-makers,” his body simply refuses to do the job: Wesel cannot hold water. While the “rhetorical genius” was just letting words flow, urine is now tumbling. The Liberals' hope collapses - just a few hours before the election campaign finale. His team takes him to a private clinic to get him fit. The supporter of the free market and the despiser of the welfare state - now he is dependent on help himself. Pretty uncool, especially if you belong to a party whose credo is “We say freedom, personal responsibility and: who should pay for it?”.
“Doping” is a laboratory situation, neoliberalism is on the operating table. If you like, you can recognize a revenant of Christian Lindner in Lütje Wesel. Nora Abdel-Maksoud shows what it means when an existential area like healthcare is organized according to the laws of capitalism, i.e. when cost-benefit calculations decide who gets helped. And how. Your piece contains everything that could always be criticized about the FDP - only much funnier.
The young Christian Lindner: Lütje Wesel (Vincent Redetzki). © Judith Buss Photography
Of course, it's not enough to just work on the smallest, yet loudest partner in the current government coalition. That would be a bit too simple – and on top of that, it would be better off on the Brettlbühne. Abdel-Maksoud is aware of this danger and therefore expands her text in a timely manner, focusing on questions about the gender pay gap and unpaid care work. But even then she stays far enough away from the sociology seminar and her writing style remains fast, lean and quick-witted. A lot of fun - not least because Vincent Redetzki, Stefan Merki, Şafak Şengül, Eva Bay and Wiebke Puls use the text virtuoso and create a fast-paced drama festival.
The “Doping” ensemble ensures great theatrical enjoyment
Moïra Gilliéron has built an elegant clinic foyer on the stage of the theater: red velvet and designer lights create the illusion of a palace for private patients. The fact that the pipes are leaking here is not the only surprise as the comedy progresses. The clinic is the subversive empire of the former chief physician Dr. Bob and the maternity nurse Gesine. Eva Bay shows the latter as a truly emancipated woman who is literally ready to fight for her rights. In contrast, the former at Wiebke Puls is a Jack Sparrow from the Waterkant, with the relaxedness of Captain Blaubär. A real pleasure to watch her create the characters.
My news
Long imprisonment threatens: proceedings against Scheuer regarding the toll disaster probably shortly before the decision is read
German grocery chain is insolvent: read “Moral apostles who want to save the world”.
Many pensioners are entitled to more pension points - but these are only available upon application
Satellite images reveal: Russia's army is preparing Black Sea ports against drone surveillance
Heavy losses for Russia: Attack on Putin's airfields even more devastating than expected read
600 million scandal in Italy: Fraudsters buy villas, jewels and luxury cars with EU funds
Stefan Merki turns Ole Hagenfels-Jefsen-Bohn into a shirt-sleeved ball lightning of the local association. His daughter Jagoda is the real political professional of her party - Şafak Şengül gives her character small moments in which it becomes clear that she is aware that her gender prevents her from being ranked first on the list. Nevertheless, she continues to believe in the performance principle – until she explodes: “Not now, Dr. Bob! I'm fucking the patriarchy right now.” Vincent Redetzki's Lütje Wesel shimmers in the many colors of the professional politician before he comes crashing down to reality. And with it the belief in the free market. Then a bottle of rum.