Don Juan

Don Juan is an aristocratic seducer and immoderate border crosser. He defies outdated norms, always emphasizing the freedom of the individual and reason as a guiding principle. At the same time, he is driven by an inner imbalance and impulsive passions, with no regard for the boundaries of others. Where does the excessive pursuit of individual advantage without regard for the community lead? Polish director Mateusz Staniak interweaves this classic original by Molière from 1655 with elements of club culture.

The party is over, in the darkness of an after-hours location an electrified end-time atmosphere is created. Driven by the ambition of a conqueror, Don Juan rushes from one success in love to the next. He does not shy away from the revenge of the relatives of those he has abandoned or killed for no reason - nor from his father's curse. His companion Sganarelle follows these adventures with enthusiasm and concern. Ultimately, however, all the characters seem to revolve around themselves. Driven by the conviction that their own pursuit of happiness is the only thing that matters, they wander through the ruins of their existence.

In the end, Don Juan is haunted by an avenging angel and dragged into hell - which he doesn't believe in at all. Mateusz Staniak, who introduced himself to Bochum audiences with the production Wer hat meinen Vater umgebracht? to Bochum audiences in 2021, connects Don Juan's quest with the state of our world: in the lustful, even self-destructive affirmation of today - and the questions about tomorrow.


Aufführungsrechte: henschel SCHAUSPIEL Theaterverlag Berlin