Liliom

In the organizer's words:

Suburban legend by Ferenc Molnár

Liliom is a barker at a carnival and hooks up with Julie. Mrs. Muskat does not like this. She wants him to turn his back on the maid. But Liliom doesn't like following instructions, so he prefers to be thrown out and runs off with Julie. However, the initial fire soon dies out: Liliom remains unemployed and listless, drinks and beats Julie. Her friend and her aunt try to persuade Julie to leave, but she stays. When she becomes pregnant, Liliom realizes that something has to change. He embarks on a robbery that goes horribly wrong. He commits suicide instead of dealing with the consequences of his actions.

In the heavenly court, he explains the reasons for his violence: "Because she was right, I didn't know what to say, I just got angry". After 16 years of penance in purgatory, Liliom is briefly allowed to return to earth to make amends with his daughter. Will he manage to find a channel for his excessive demands other than brute force and treat his daughter with care?

First performed in 1909, Liliom is the Hungarian playwright's most famous play. Molnár draws characters who can see injustice, name it and then let it pass anyway. Liliom is by no means a moral lesson, but rather a character study with complex relationships and dependencies.

This is precisely what interests director Julia Prechsl about the material: the hardship and dissatisfaction that arise when money and tasks are lacking. The stubbornness and inability of the characters to communicate and admit their feelings - even beyond death: themes that retain their timeless relevance. Prechsl directs with great precision in her characterization and a playful variety of images. Liliom is Julia Prechsl's first work at the Staatstheater Kassel.