Joseph Breitbach

Hinter den Kulissen oder Genosse Veygond
Komödie in 4 Akten
2 D, 6 H, 1 Dek
UA: 02.10.1970 · Theater der Stadt, Baden-Baden · Directed by: Bohdan Denk
The last performance before the theatre holidays. Behind the scenes, the hallways clear, everyone wants to leave for vacation as soon as possible. Only Veygond, the author, is still on stage and lets himself be celebrated. After the last curtain, he finds himself alone in the theatre with Arthur, Emile and some others. Arthur and his comrades, the "Original Marxists”, detain Veygond, his lover and his wife Olga. They no longer want to tolerate the gap between aspiration and reality he has as a productive author for the party.
He preaches socialism but lives in luxury. Arthur only wants to let him go if he declares, on tape and on paper, that he as an author disowns himself. A discussion about the danger hidden in Veygond’s works flares up. He idealises socialism, but the "Original Marxists” wants to see a depiction of reality, namely, that there will be drudgery and deprivation in socialism as well. Additionally, the bourgeois private life of comrade Veygond is discussed. Meanwhile, Emile falls for Veygond’s lover.
The Veygonds are confined for two weeks, until Emile calls a negotiator into the abandoned theatre: Charles, party official and a friend of Veygond. They agree to gloss over the whole affair, for the greater good of the party. During the negotiations, everyone only focuses on their own vanities and advantages. But Emile secretly takes the recordings of the past weeks – they are supposed to help uncover the cesspool in the party.