Michael Kohlhaas

Bühne Cipolla transforms well-known works of world literature into expressive and poetic puppet theater with live music. Original puppets, expressive masks and fantastic sounds create worlds on stage that exert an irresistible fascination on the audience. The audience experiences an atmospherically dense total work of art as intense theatrical enjoyment for all the senses.

In addition to his well-known dramas ("Penthesilea", "The Broken Jug"), Heinrich von Kleist also wrote a series of world-famous novellas. Michael Kohlhaas was first published in 1808 and is based on a true case.
We all know the nagging feeling of being right but not getting it right. Michael Kohlhaas, an industrious German middle-class man and wealthy businessman, falls victim to arbitrary rule and fights back. When he repeatedly fails because of the corrupt justice system, scheming nepotism and the hasty obedience of civil servants, he begins a murderous campaign of revenge against his enemies, both imaginary and real.
Initially the pawn of political and ecclesiastical interests, Kohlhaas soon becomes the most wanted terrorist of his time, as there is a fine line between justified indignation and ruthless vigilante justice.
In his novella, Heinrich von Kleist paints a picture of a hysterical society wavering between blind political actionism and cold calculation. A piece of world literature of current explosiveness, as if made for the passionate puppet theater of Bühne Cipolla.

Director and playwright: Sebastian Kautz
Composition and sound design: Gero John
Stage, puppetry and costumes: Melanie Kuhl
Technical set-up and lighting design: Frank Barufke