over there

	A play by Mark Ravenhill

The twins Karl and Franz grow up separated in East and West Germany. Their father is an upright socialist and a trusting follower of the »workers and farmers democracy«. Their mother is not and decides in 1968 to escape to the West with one of the twins, Franz, when they are 4 years old. Karl stays in the East with his father; all contact between the parents is broken off.

In the mid-eighties Franz ventures to the East to find his brother. They feel a very strong connection, test shared memories but also realise that they have been shaped to become very different people who speak different languages. Both have been educated to be suspicious of the other side and trust between them is not building quickly. When Franz relays the news that their mother is sick, Karl suggests swapping passports for a few days in order to be able to see his estranged parent. Franz refuses for fear of getting stuck in the East.

Two years later, Karl finds out that his mother is close to death and attains the necessary papers to visit her. When he finds Franz in the hospital he is told that their mother died an hour before. Franz invites Karl to his house and tells him about his son. When Franz articulates the wish to see his father Karl refuses him in turn and breaks off contact once more.

On the night of the Berlin Wall falling Karl surprises Franz at his home. At first Franz is hesitant to celebrate because he is looking after his son that day. When the boy goes back to his mother the twins experience their first free and fun night together. Soon after that their father commits suicide which seems to strengthen their relationship. With the new freedom of travelling Karl tries to adapt to Franz’ life in the West, tries on his suit and his identity. At the same time Franz is trained for the »development market to the East«. During this time Karl develops a relationship with Franz’ boy, who bec mes a pawn in their struggle to come together, which takes increasingly brutal forms.

In episodes that grow more and more surreal, Mark Ravenhill escalates this German-German family drama to nightmarish proportions.

Mark Ravenhill’s (born 1966) first play, »Shopping & Fucking’, was first staged at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1996. It has been translated into many languages and staged throughout Europe. Its first German- language production was directed by Thomas Ostermeier at the Baracke of the Deutsches Theater and was selected for the 1998 Theatertreffen, Germany’s most important theatre festival. It is still a fixture in the Schaubühne’s repertoire. Since then, this popular English writer’s plays »Product« and »The Cut« have both been staged by Thomas Ostermeier at the Schaubühne. »Over There« is produced in collaboration with the Schaubühne and will be directed by Mark Ravenhill and Ramin Gray at the Royal Court Theatre in March 2009.

Ramin Gray (born 1963), English director, has directed at the Paris Odéon, the Liverpool Playhouse and for the Royal Shakespeare Company, among others. Since 2000, he has been working at London’s Royal Court Theatre for which he is the Associate Director. He directed the English-language premiere of Marius von Mayenburg’s »Der Stein« (The Stone) for the Royal Court Theatre in February 2009. He is a guest at the International Playwrighting Festival as a director of Mark Ravenhill’s »Over there«, which recently had its world premiere at the Royal Court Theatre.

A Co-Production of Royal Court Theatre London and Schaubühne.

Over There by Mark Ravenhill
Co-production of Royal Court Theatre London
and Schaubühne Berlin

Direction: Ramin Gray with Mark Ravenhill
with Harry Treadaway, Luke Treadaway

Performance in English with German surtitles.

Datum: 23 - 25 March, 19.30h

Ort: Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, Kurfürstendamm 153, 10709 Berlin