Helges Leben

In the organizer's words:

1 hour 30 minutes - No rest
In the foreseeable future: humans are extinct, animals are in charge. God and Death are employed by them as entertainment professionals. As entertainment, the animals want a simple little human fate - and so Helge's life comes on stage. His existence is not particularly funny, because his most loyal companion is his fear, and love is hard to find. The animals watch the human failure and marvel: these creatures once ruled the world? Placed themselves above all other living creatures? By what right, actually?


In the foreseeable future: humans are extinct, the animals are in command. God and death are employed by them as entertainment professionals. As an entertainment program, the animals want a simple little human fate - and so Helges' life comes on stage. His existence is not particularly funny, because his most loyal companion is his fear, and love is hard to find. The animals watch the human failure and marvel: these creatures once ruled the world? Placed themselves above all other living creatures? By what right, really? Sibylle Berg's play HELD LIFE is now more than twenty years old. And thus belongs to the same generation as the members of the IMPORT EXPORT KOLLEKTIV. Twenty years - in which climate change and species extinction have progressed. The young director Saliha Shagasi brings Sibylle Berg's comic as well as wicked swan song to human dominance to the stage of Depot 1 and takes it as the starting point for a joint research on the topics of (future) fear, courage and the question of what actually is a good life. In HELPFUL LIFE the topics of (sexualized) violence and suicide are addressed. Stroboscopic light effects are used. Certain flash frequencies can trigger epileptic seizures under certain circumstances. There will also be loud music cues; our service staff in the lobby will be happy to hand out earplugs. Relaxed Performances - 19 OCT / 23 NOV Access to cultural offerings is a human right. Schauspiel Köln takes this mandate seriously, and so it is trying in small steps to open its spaces to people with different needs. The performances on 10/19 and 11/23 are also intended to invite people with special movement needs, Tourette's, anxiety disorders, on the autism spectrum, and anyone else who feels addressed to attend the Import Export Kollektiv's latest work. There will be, among other things, comfortable and wide seating, adapted lighting moods and a chill-out area in the foyer with live broadcast. First time at the theater? What is a Relaxed Performance? Content Notes About the program Press reviews "The overall well-rounded production of Berg's tragicomedy spreads good humor which is not only due to the text itself, but also to the witty realization." Nachtkritik.de "At this point at the latest, however, it becomes clear that the Import Export collective has chosen exactly the right text: They oppose the civilization song with their greed for life, the hopelessness with their dreams." Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger "The "Freund und Family" audience roused it to standing ovations." Kölnische Rundschau This content has been machine translated.