Ajax 'amoclauf: Shame and guilt in the new play at the Deutsches Theater

Ajax 'amoclauf: Shame and guilt in the new play at the Deutsches Theater

Schumannstr. 13A, 10117 Berlin, Deutschland - On June 16, 2025, the Deutsche Theater Berlin opened the author: Interior Theater Days, a platform for new theater texts, which will take place for the 30th time this year. Under the direction of director Iris Laufenberg, the festival with the topic of "do not belong" is characterized by diversity and inclusion. A central highlight of the event is the "Long Night of the Ramanist", which offers a diverse program.

A special contribution in this context is the play "Ajax and the swan the shame", staged by Christopher Rüping. This staging dares an exciting examination of the figurative and emotional landscape of the ancient hero Ajax, which is almost forgotten, as an eternal number two in the Trojan War. Here the complex history of a warrior is told, the recognition and fame of a hero is striving for, which is denied to him in the form of the armor of Achilles.

course of action and thematic focus

The action describes Ajax ’desperate attempt to fight for respect and recognition. In the scenes in which Ajax is applied, especially when Odysseus is named as the recipient of the armor, his inner tornness becomes clear. At a moving climax, Ajax embarks on a killing spree and converts a flock of sheep, which ultimately leads to his shame and suicide. The staging focuses on shame, guilt and humility, aspects that are also of great importance in the Greek tragedy.

Maja Beckmann, who plays the role of Ajax, presents unconventional performance at the beginning of the performance by dancing with headphones, which is perceived as embarrassing by the spectators. At this moment, the desperation of the figure and its gap to society becomes visible. Odysseus and Athene observe Ajax and discuss their arrogance, which leads to a critical dialogue about masculinity and social expectations of men.

The legacy of ancient tragedy

The staging of rüping is directly inspired by the ancient tragedy, which in the 5th century BC. BC reached its climax in Greece. The Greek tragedy was often strongly connected to the Dionysoscult and was characterized by complex action strands and profound emotional conflicts, as can also be observed at Ajax 'fate wikipedia reports .

Ancient is an important basis for the western theater. The tragedies of poets like Sophocles treated the great themes of fate, honor and reality, which ripping takes up in its newly interpreted representation of Ajax. His approach to bringing the discussion about shame and self -awareness on the modern stage meets both amazement and criticism. While some find the staging entertaining and stimulating, the piece is classified as one of the weaker works of rüping.

"Ajax and the swan of shame" will be performed by June 21, 2025 and is therefore part of the author: Interior theater days, which not only present new works of emerging dramatists, but also raise profound social issues that are important today The Berliner reports .