„Das müde Glück”. Ein Abend für Roger Willemsen

Sit up straight. Lie comfortably. Lounge around. That's Roger Willemsen's inimitably funny first rule for good reading. Twenty years ago, he opened lesen.hören for the very first time in a charming and fast-paced manner, transforming the Alte Feuerwache into a dazzling ballroom of literature. A foundation stone was laid, a tradition established and a legendary evening accomplished. It cannot be repeated, especially not without Roger, who died ten years ago. But Roger Willemsen's good spirit is with us and his lyrics are here. And we bring them to the stage! Including ludicrous rules for reading and living and enthusiastic eulogies to books and their idea of a better world. In addition: sharp polemics against the opportunists of all times.

At the center of the opening, however, is Roger Willemsen's story of the good life and bad people: "Tired Happiness". No one has grasped the subtlety and contemporary nature of this comic fairy tale more diabolically and responded to it with greater strength of heart than the Mannheim artist Mehrdad Zaeri has done with his pictures. With the nasty Mr. Gottlieb and the clueless Mr. Hopp, Roger Willemsen invents two characters who are directly related to us today. In doing so, he masterfully combines contemporary criticism with an overflowing wit.

Insa Wilke will host the evening, Birgitta Assheuer will lend her voice to the texts and Konrad Hinsken will provide the musical accompaniment. The pictures by Mehrdad Zaeri, animated by Paul Götz, open up a conversation with Roger Willemsen's stories - and with us listeners on this evening.