MARLENE

In the organizer's words:

Original version by Pam Gems in the adaptation of the Renaissance Theater Berlin

With two monologues by Connie Palmen

In a small Paris apartment: Marlene Dietrich and Viv, her longtime companion through the ups and downs of her legendary career. Withdrawn from the world, the days pass by. But today it is as if the past time becomes tangible and alive again. In this dramatic confrontation, the world star confronts her own myth.

Sven Ratzke plays Marlene Dietrich and breathes a new soul into her songs. He senses in her biography the challenge to reinvent herself in the most diverse facets of her personality.

25 years after the terrific success of MARLENE with Judy Winter in the leading role, a male interpreter now dives into the character to confront her radiance - as he has succeeded in doing in various programs about the music legend David Bowie in sold-out houses from NYC to Sydney, from Amsterdam to London.

The singer and entertainer, who has made an international splash with his artful shows and excellent music, has established himself as a world-class stage star.

"Marlene Dietrich wandered between the sexes and showed enormous courage in her obstinacy and absolute perfectionism. Caught in fame and disappeared in an art figure she created herself. I look into the mirror she holds up to our time and to all artists, I see myself and I look for her. What a challenge!"

From this perspective, Pam Gems' reworking of the original version of the play evolves into a surprising, humorous and touching story. A prologue and epilogue, written especially for this performance by renowned Dutch writer Connie Palmen, offer additional lyrical emotional spheres to the play. From the depths of Marlene's soul.

The congenial partner at the grand piano is the young Dutch pianist Jetse de Jong, who together with Sven Ratzke completely reinterprets the music and leads the evening musically. As stage partner Johanna Asch plays the young Viv, Marlene's friend and adversary. Guntbert Warns directs this new version in stage design by Ezio Toffolutti, enriched with the specially created costumes of the British star fashion designer Ian Griffiths (Creative Director / Max Mara).

MARLENE is a production of the Renaissance Theater Berlin, with international tour in the Netherlands and Belgium (end of February to end of May), followed by New York City in December 2024.