"Theater an der Ruhr" in Landsberg: the ideology virus

Created: 01/12/2022, 14:14

By: Susanne Greiner

The "delusional image of Europe" as a blood-covered figure in a baroque dress: "Europe or the Dreams of the Third Reich" by the Theater an der Ruhr works with nightmarish images.

© Greiner

Landsberg – What is ideology?

The Austrian director Philipp Preuss describes the term with a metaphor: the "unconscious of history".

Or more suggestively: A "virus that keeps popping up," as he says in an interview with Ruhr-Theater dramaturg Helmut Schäfer.

The connection between ideology and 'virus' is central in Preuss' production Europa oder die Traum des Deutschen Reichs, a piece collage based on the Lars von Trier films Epidemic and Europa as well as on the book Das Third Reich of Dreams” by Charlotte Beradt.

The performance relies on vision and brutal reality, on dreams, images that impress the retina and on the interweaving of numerous levels - including a pinch of sarcasm.

A challenge for the viewer.  

Before the beginning, Schäfer gives an introduction - in addition to a brief summary of the film content, a "dream guide": that some things are only understandable after waking up.

Because the dreamer does not question the surreal in the dream.

Maybe you can see that as a guide for the piece: look, get involved, immerse yourself.

And only ask questions after the piece.

The fact that this is a good tip becomes clear when you look at the interlacing of the most diverse levels in the piece.

Leaps between Beradt's book, the films and scenes that only appear in the play unfold a confusing, seemingly surreal collage that takes logic to the point of absurdity.

In addition, a lot of theater blood, tons of stage fog.

Soft but nerve-wracking music contributes to the nightmarish atmosphere.

The few moments of silence seem like short rest periods - before you sink back into the nightmare.

A train journey

In Preuss' production, the protagonists from Lars von Trier's film "Epidemic" start - appropriately as the ball player in a tennis costume (Eva Karobath).

The two filmmakers in the film are Lars and Niels (Lars von Trier starred in the film himself), who want to write a screenplay in five days.

Its protagonist: the doctor Dr.

Mesmer, who, while on the road as a conductor, unknowingly spreads a virus.

Which brings the two filmmakers to the first film scene: "Let's start - on a train." And with that, the stage design (Ramallah Aubrecht) was also determined for the play: consecutive, alternately illuminated gates that create the illusion of a train driving through a tunnel .

In addition to the level changes that exist in the film "Epidemic", Beradt's "Dreams" appear in the first scene as quotes from the actors.

In addition, there is another stepping out of one level: the two filmmakers create noises, crackling candy wrappers that sound like water, or no, better like crackling house fires: we travel to the time shortly after the end of the war, 1945, a time of uncertainty when the old ideology lives on as a virus - we travel into the plot of the film "Europe".

The film begins with an immersion into the unconscious: a hypnotic voice counts from one upwards, "on ten you will be in Europe".

In the play, the voice becomes the person of an omniscient (a wise and white-robed) hypnotist who immerses the characters – and above all the audience – in the plot of the film.

It's about the German-American Leopold Kessler, who wants to help with the reconstruction, but ends up in the circles of the "Werewolf" organization: a group founded by Himmler at the end of the World War to carry out acts of terrorism against the occupying powers.

Kessler is forced to assassinate by the "Werewolves".

And although he recognizes the machinations of the Nazi organization, he carries it out.

His realization that the Nazi ideology persists, that the virus lives on, allows him to continue.

He dies in an assassination attempt with a bomb on the train.

The filmmakers from "Epidemic" interspersed throughout the piece, introducing scenes from the film within the film (in "Epidemic"), but also from "Europe", with instructions such as: "in the bathroom, black and white" - and yourself jump into the scenes.

Like the absurdly decadent dinner from "Epidemic" including truffles and wine, where the play also tells the story of the end of the film "Europe"... If you still know where you are now: Respect.

It is not for nothing that the theater calls the play a “theatrical hypnosis”.

The ensemble plays great.

Exaggerated facial expressions contrast with mask-like faces, horrified screams and sarcastic ravings about white truffles.

Whether Europe in baroque dress would have needed so much theatrical blood - no.

Less stage fog?

Well, we're in a dream.

And he knows no exaggeration.

And the pictures stick.

The Ruhrtheater challenges its audience.

And it warns.

At the end, voices tell of wanting to wake up, "to free you from the delusion of Europe.

But that is not possible.” We remain in the unconscious.

The 'ideology' virus lives on.