Bodo Wartke & Melanie Haupt - Antigone

The piano cabaret artist Bodo Wartke presents "Antigone," the long-awaited, full-length continuation of his play "King Oedipus." Together with actress Melanie Haupt, Bodo Wartke plays all the roles of the ancient tragedy by Sophocles. Like its predecessor, "Antigone" is entirely in rhyme, the language is modern, and there are again numerous pop culture references to discover. Wartke conceived the piece in collaboration with dramaturg Carmen Kalisch and director Sven Schütze. The contemporary interpretation of the three not only delves deeply into the story of Oedipus's eldest daughter but also includes the backstory that Sophocles tells in "Oedipus at Colonus." This approach, which essentially narrates the background of the "story," proved effective in "King Oedipus" and provides the audience with the necessary knowledge to understand the central conflict of the tragedy and its titular character. With all due respect and yet humorously, the creators of the piece approach their "Antigone" without stripping the work of its tragedy. Carmen Kalisch, Sven Schütze, and Bodo Wartke demonstrate the relevance of the ancient material, in which the main character self-determinedly rebels against a newly enacted law in the state. The civil disobedience that Antigone exercises in the play addresses a highly relevant topic even today: How does each individual behave in the tension between their individual needs and their shared responsibility for the common good of the state on one side, and how far can the state go on the other side when enacting laws and regulations that touch upon the traditions and fundamental values of the people? These are questions of timeless validity that remain pertinent in light of many current hotspots of crisis in various countries around the world. (Copyright: Reimkultur 2022)