Heinrich Mann

Professor Unrat is a pedantic eccentric, a gymnasium professor in a small town in northern Germany for over 25 years. He pretends that it is his duty to keep the students from dealing with the shady artist Rosa Fröhlich, but is himself ensnared by the fascinating woman in the “Blue Angel.” His erotic libertinage leaves him with no office or dignity. Professor Unrat marries Rosa, but soon his savings are spent on their luxurious life. Villa Unrat becomes a place for nocturnal pleasure and forbidden gambling. In the end, Professor Unrat serves as a scapegoat for his small-town bourgeois society.

Heinrich Mann's satire on the double standard of morality in the German province was published in 1905 under the title Der blaue Engel and filmed in a version staring Marlene Dietrich. Peter Zadek's editing for the stage with musical inserts is a delightful challenge for any acting ensemble.