Andres Veiel

Wilma Abendstern has aged: the old actress, who made it up to a small stage in Vienna in her youth, but had to act on stages in Memmingen and small towns like that for the rest of her years, moves into a retirement home.
Wilma, who doesn’t want to fit in with the rigid rules of the home, is supposed to lead its theatre group and stage a play to celebrate the jubilee of the home. But she chooses the wrong play: Peter Weiss’ Marat/Sade!
Andres Veiel’s play shows the daily rehearsals and the dreams and hopes of the old ladies, which come to light during these meetings. They had come to terms with their fate in the home and didn’t seem to be curious about new things anymore, but the persistence with which they fight for their rehearsals against all odds and their endurance show how vital they truly are.
The opening night ends with a scandal, the board of trustees of the retirement home is offended, sees Marat/Sade as a call for violence. But Wilma had something else in mind: she wanted to use the performance to win over her married long-time friend and colleague von Böck, who still raised her hopes for a relationship. If Böck would only come to the opening night! But Böck doesn’t show up. Wilma stays alone. Andres Veiel has shown the daily life in a retirement home with atmospheric detail. The precision of language in his play is impressive, as are the complex characters and the decision of the author to forgo sensationalism and patiently embrace his characters’ inconsistencies.