Milch & Schuld

Age recommendation from 16 years

We need to talk about motherhood and women's unpaid care work! What does the body's work look like before, during and after birth? Apart from the biological changes and pension gaps that arise, pregnancy is one of the greatest challenges and miracles that the female body performs. Can this kind of work actually be paid for in monetary terms?

The world premiere of Milch & Schuld by author Sina Ahlers, a work commissioned by the Schauspiel, is about surrogacy, one of the taboo subjects of our society.

Zartie has few opportunities on the job market. She offers her body, mind and hormones to a couple who are biologically unable to have children in order to carry a child for them. And she is to be paid for it. During prenatal diagnostics, however, a discovery is made that will not suit the "client" and invalidates the payment or contractual obligation. But who is this "customer" who so desperately wants a child? She also feels inadequate, flawed. How does Zartie decide, should she keep the child? Without means, alone, without support?

How do we deal with it when a child does not conform to the "norm", is considered insufficient, like a pigeon with one leg? It can stand, fly, everything, but with "only" one leg.

Sina Ahlers questions the existential in her play. Does it exist, the "natural", unconditional motherly love, the work of the female body, the "maternal instinct" and where do we really stand when it comes to conservative role models? Where is it, the supposedly "morally" right side? And what role does this strange station pigeon play in all of this?

With Trojan Women: 2nd Season, director Sarah Franke has already proven that she can tackle major feminist issues with physical, linguistic and visual power. She looks at all (non-)mothers, all norms, taboos, struggles and the beauty in between. She finds all of this in Ahler's text.