Premiere despite the scandal: Theater in the Josefstadt causes excitement!

Premiere despite the scandal: Theater in the Josefstadt causes excitement!

In the middle of serious allegations for honorary injuries and sexual assault that shake the theater landscape of Vienna, the premiere of "Sonny Boys" at the theater in the Josefstadt took place yesterday. The FPÖ's cultural spokesman, whose allegations overshadowed the event, called for a cancellation to avoid a "fatal signal" in times of dark allegations. Nevertheless, the premiere was not canceled and took place in the presence of Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ). The main actor Herbert Föttinger, who plays the old comedian Al Lewis, visibly relieved the applause of the audience at the end of the performance, despite the tense situation, such as Kleine Zeitung reported.

director Herbert Föttinger in focus

The premiere itself offered an entertaining, but conventional play, in which Föttinger, as a called -called company, made the predicament of his former partner Willie Clark noticeable. The staging was led by Stephan Müller, and although the first half of the evening began in cumbersome, the dynamics increased during the discussion of the two actors. However, Föttinger's management was pushed into the background by the recent allegations against him. The final report on the allegations will soon be expected, which will result in another shadow on his long -term management of the theater in the Josefstadt, which will soon end because Marie Rötzer will take over the artistic direction in 2026. These exciting developments, including Föttinger's plan to further position Josefstadt as a "Austrian National Theater", were discussed in a press conference at the new season, which he planned optimistically, as Bühnemagazin

Föttinger announced that the coming season will be characterized by a focus on Austrian literature and political discourse. There is anticipation for the staging of Ibsen's trilogy and promising productions such as "Leopoldstadt", which addresses the past of the dramatist Tom Stopard. "The theater in the Josefstadt must also be a delivery room for contemporary literature," is Föttinger's motto. It remains to be seen how the current turbulent developments will affect future plans for the renowned house.