The legacy of the gay generation: drama about the past and future!

The legacy of the gay generation: drama about the past and future!

From March 15th, the play "Das Legastnis" is premiered at the Theater in the Josefstadt under the direction of Elmar Goerden. It is one of the most extensive productions that have ever been built on this house and spanned a playing time of at least six hours. Goerden emphasizes: "This time must be used sensibly and is not a mere seating meat!". The actors, who have been working intensively since mid -November, embody a total of 25 roles, with experienced Andrea Jonasson shining as Margaret in one of the few female leading roles. The action is based on the multi-award-winning work of Matthew López, which illuminates the life of gay men over three generations and treats central topics such as the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. López’s work is not only confronted with the classic approach of the theater in the theater in the Josefstadt, but also with the current political situation that are linked to the debates of the 1980s, as can be found in a well -founded report on Josefstadt.org.

political explosiveness and emotional depth

In the staging, an urgent picture of gay life in New York City is drawn, against the background of political turbulence that went hand in hand with the 2016 presidential elections in the USA. Director Goerden sees the piece as urgent, especially at a time when the rights of minorities are under pressure worldwide. He explains that the rehearsals made him aware of how diverse the perspectives on the past are. While some actors experienced the AIDS crisis up close, younger team members only consider them part of the story. This differentiation represents a central aspect of the performance and opens up an intensive examination of their own emotional landscape to the artists. In this context, Goerden announced that a variety of sensitive topics such as sexualized violence and drug abuse are discussed.

The premiere is offered as a double presentation on weekends with three breaks, which takes about seven hours in the entire course. While the viewers immerse yourself in the complex relationships and conflicts of the characters, Goerden's direction is shaped by a clear wish: "We want to create anxiety -reducing rooms for creative work." This can also be seen in the commitment to an unadorned, direct language, which, however, is perceived as a challenge in a theater area where fun and seriously often go hand in hand. In particular, dealing with explicit terms could ensure mixed reactions among the audience. Goerden expects “the legacy” to challenge both the theater audience and the social conventions.