by Tennessee Williams, translated from the American by Jörn van Dyck
With English surtitles
The rich "self-made man" Big Daddy is celebrating his 65th birthday, and the whole family is gathered under one roof again. Everyone has arrived: older son Gooper with his pregnant wife Mae and a bunch of children, as well as Brick with his wife Maggie, known as "the cat". But the cheerful party atmosphere quickly begins to crumble. While Maggie struggles with her desire to have children and is put under pressure by the rest of the family, she has to watch as her husband numbs his depression with alcohol. Former rugby star Brick mourns his old life and his deceased teammate Skipper, with whom he may have had more than just a friendship. And then news of Big Daddy's serious illness makes the rounds and the race for the family inheritance begins.
Tennessee Williams' THE CAT ON THE HOT ROOF (1955) is one of the masterpieces of American well-made drama. The film adaptation starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman as Maggie and Brick is a movie classic. Bastian Kraft, who most recently directed DIE VERLORENE EHRE DER KATHARINA BLUM at Schauspiel Köln, is now bringing the great drama of life lies to the stage of Depot 1.
Further information here.
The production deals with topics such as queer hostility, sexism and alcoholism and indirectly refers to suicide.
The production uses stroboscopic lighting and loud music.
The English surtitles are played on the left side of the stage, while the German surtitles for people with hearing impairments are displayed on the right side of the stage.