Appearances are deceptive

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Data
Title: Appearances are deceptive
Original language: German
Author: Thomas Bernhard
Publishing year: 1983
Premiere: January 21, 1984
Place of premiere: Schauspielhaus Bochum
people
  • Karl
  • Robert

Appearances are deceptive is a two-act drama by Thomas Bernhard .

content

The former artist Karl and his brother, the former theater actor Robert, visit each other every Tuesday and Thursday. Neither of them looks forward to these meetings, but they continue this habit, apparently also for lack of other social contacts.

The first act takes place in Karl's apartment on a Tuesday evening, before and during Robert's visit. It begins with a long monologue from Karl, who dresses and shaves. Robert arrives late and they both talk about their lives, about missed opportunities and about Karl's partner Mathilde, with whom he had lived for 30 years and who recently died. She didn't bequeath her weekend house to Karl, but to Robert, which Karl is annoyed about. Karl doesn't want to give Mathilde's things away and doesn't want to change the apartment.

The second act shows the following Thursday evening and Charles's return visit to Robert's apartment; This act also begins with a monologue by the host before the guest arrives, then the conversation from the first act continues.

The relationship between the brothers is ambivalent, turning from affection to weariness. Often the two talk less to each other than side by side.

Productions

The premiere took place in 1984 at the Schauspielhaus Bochum under the direction of Claus Peymann , with Bernhard Minetti (Karl) and Traugott Buhre (Robert) playing.

In 1998 Dieter Dorn directed the play at the Munich Kammerspiele with Rolf Boysen (Karl) and Thomas Holtzmann (Robert).

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the death of the author, several pieces by Bernhard, including Der Schein deceptive , were re-staged at the Burgtheater in Vienna . Directed by Nicolas Brieger , Martin Schwab (Karl) and Michael König (Robert) played. Despite the performance of the actors, this production was criticized as “dignified”, “good” and “too restrained”.

Individual evidence

  1. According to a review in Die Zeit , the figure of Mathilde is a homage to the actress Edith Heerdegen, who died in 1982 (Helmut Schödel: Minetti. Am Ziel. In: Die Zeit 05/1984, published on January 27, 1984.)
  2. ^ TV recording of the world premiere by ZDF
  3. ^ Bernhard Doppler: Dignified to boring . Contribution from January 3, 2009 to Deutschlandfunk Kultur
  4. Eva Maria Klinger: Old man's snack with a nail file . Review and reviews on nachtkritik.de, published on January 3, 2009.