How can a woman empower herself? Together with the Biergerbühn, the Independent Little Lies collective is bringing Dürrenmatt's classic 'The Visit of the Old Lady' to the stage of the Escher Theater.
The contents of the piece are highly topical and political: A woman uncovers structural inequalities based on her own story of suffering and fights the patriarchy with its own weapons!
After more than thirty years, Claire Zachanassian returns to her impoverished home village of Güllen. As a young girl she had fallen in love with Alfred Ill there. But the happiness of their relationship only lasted until Claire became pregnant. Alfred shied away from responsibility and shamed Claire in front of the village community. She had to go - he stayed.
How does he react to the reunion with the now influential Claire? What happens to a village community when they are offered a billion for the death of a fellow citizen?
The staging is developed collectively and in a participatory way: the citizens create the piece together with the collective – both on and behind the stage, in the work on the texts and via the expressive dance Butoh.
Photo: Patrick Galbats
