Bärbel Stöckle

Erich turns 70 and the day is a disaster. His grumpy children get him in a bad mood and give him tasteless presents. They envy the successful brother, they insult the inglorious artist sister, they isolate their sister who is a mother and who is stressed by her twins. In the middle of this is Erich, confused and alone. His wife, who has been missing since the morning, was taking something calming to an offended well-wisher. Time passes, words get harsher and there is still no trace of mother. What if she never comes back? Slowly, panic sets in. It can’t have taken so long. The topic of death is no longer only connected to Erich. Can you buy destiny? The brother promises all his money to his siblings, if only nothing happened to mummy. His generosity is rewarded, mother returns, what was promised again? Hasty words are taken back, credibility crumbles.

And when dead Gospodin enters the garden, a macabre round dance begins. Good and evil spirits play their part.

Der Unfall (invited to the Heidelberger Stückemarkt 2004) presents a darkly overshadowed family celebration. From a vaguely unsettling situation, the feeling of a threat, of superior forces develops. Bärbel Stöckle sketches an image of human weaknesses, precisely and with fine humour. And again and again, the question arises of whether man forges his own destiny or if it is being forged by an unknown party.