Johann Holtrop

In the organizer's words:

Johann Holtrop - Abriss der Gesellschaft - based on the novel by Rainald Goetz - in a version by Stefan Bachmann and Lea Goebel - world premiere - Düsseldorf premiere on March 11, 2023 - Schauspielhaus, Großes Haus - co-production with Schauspiel Köln -Drama

Visionary, careerist, bluffer, man-catcher, manic narcissist, Machiavellian go-getter, stand-up guy, lucky kid of capitalism, decision hysteric, rock star: Johann Holtrop, 48, is many things. But above all, he is the CEO of Assperg, a media group with headquarters in Schönhausen and a subsidiary called Arrow PC in Krölpa, Thuringia, 80,000 employees worldwide and total assets of 15 billion euros. In the mutual contempt of the office workers, tolerating each other seems to be the lowest common denominator. Because everyone is interchangeable. Holtrop lives under the delusion of the absolute present; his ego and charisma crush everything that stands in his way. Until his stellar career, which has parallels to the Thomas Middelhoff case, begins to falter and comes to an abrupt end.
In his novel published in 2012, Rainald Goetz tells in typically hyperrealistic language about the demolition of society, the rise and fall of a manager, political upheavals of the noughties and, last but not least, something about leadership and power dynamics.
After "Reich des Todes," the world premiere of "Johann Holtrop" is the second production by Cologne artistic director Stefan Bachmann, which is a co-production with Schauspiel Köln.