Leonce und Lena

In the organizer's words:

King Peter, ruler and "substance" of the kingdom of Popo, is overwhelmed. He wanted to make a speech - but about what and to whom? It seems best for him to finally hand over the reins of government to his son Leonce. However, he counts grains of sand out of sheer melancholy and practises spitting on stones: "Idleness is the beginning of all vices. - What people don't do out of boredom!" Only the arranged marriage between him and the unknown Princess Lena from the neighboring state of Pipi brings life to the crown prince, because Leonce does not want to become a king, nor a scientist, hero or artist - and certainly not a useful member of society: "My life yawns at me like a big white sheet of paper that I'm supposed to write all over, but I can't get a letter out." Fortunately, he meets the bon vivant Valerio, who teaches him the art of being a fool. Because only as a fool can you face the foolishness of the world. He flees to Italy with him. Lena also wants to escape a life that has been mapped out for her by others and also sets off into the distance. The royal children on the run meet each other and find in each other what they themselves seem to be missing. Only to realize that they have run straight into the arms of their predestined fate ...

Between lightness, humor and comedy of errors, Georg Büchner raises the big questions about the meaning of human existence. Do we even have free will? Or have we not long since been functioning like automatons, like programmed algorithms? With "Leonce and Lena", Büchner has not only written a hilarious satire on romantic ideas, but also a cynical commentary on the conditions of his time: the small-mindedness of the German state, the unworldliness of the feudal class and the outdated court ceremonial are taken to task - and "tomorrow we'll start the fun all over again in peace and comfort."

Duration of performance: approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes, no interval