Train of shadows
Train of Shadows , drama in nine pictures, is a play by Arthur Schnitzler . The piece has remained a fragment and was not performed during Schnitzler's lifetime. It addresses timeless conflicts such as love, jealousy, vanity, passion, despair and death.
action
The piece takes place in Vienna in the period after the First World War. It begins with a wedding at which several people from Viennese civil society meet. Ludwig Gerold, the bridegroom, seeks a conversation with his friend Richard. He asks him to inquire about the condition of the actress Franzi Friesel, with whom he previously had a relationship. Franzi had sworn to kill himself on his wedding day. Richard refuses to do this. He himself is in a secret relationship with Franzi Friesel and, driven by doubts about her loyalty, confronts her with Ludwig's words. After a violent argument, they make up again. Richard's sister suspects that Richard is involved in an unfortunate love story. She asks the author Karl Bern, with whom she has a relationship, to convince Richard that he should finally marry Mathilde Veith, to whom he is almost engaged. Karl Bern succeeds in this and Richard writes the letter of separation.
The next day plays in the theater, called the Residenztheater. The Diva woman Roveda as always comes too late. Since it is three days before the premiere, the general manager Baron X is dissatisfied with the situation. Karl Bern persuades him to let Franzi Friesel read the role in order to consider changing the cast. The baron agrees and Franzi is allowed to read the scroll and gets the scroll.
She is now rehearsing together with the actor Gregor, who is interested in a relationship with her. Meanwhile, she reads Richard's letter and collapses. The situation came to a head on the day of the premiere. When Franzi notices Richard and Mathilde in the audience, she decides to put an end to her life and kills herself on stage. A letter from Richard declaring his love for her comes too late. Richard receives support from Mathilde in this dramatic situation.
people
In the play by Karl Bern, which is called a historical tragedy, the roles are assigned as follows:
| role | occupation | additional |
|---|---|---|
| Fanny Theren | Mrs. Roveda | Main role; after a change Franzi Friesel; Fanny is referred to as the "stupid goose who puts up with so much" |
| Fedor | Mr. Gregor | male lead |
| Witte | Mr. Dögelmann | gets upset during the rehearsal, because the director Löblein "successively" strikes him out of the play |
| Emmi | Franzi Friesel | will be reassigned; a "right idiot" |
| servant | Mr. Dregulein | smallest role |
| Moritzky | Mr. John | John is the divorced husband of Mrs. Roveda; he saves the night of the premiere by playing the piano while Franzi collapses backstage |
Performances
The play was only released in 1971 under the direction of Gustav Manker at the Vienna Volkstheater with Kitty Speiser (Franzi), Peter Wolsdorff (Fedor), Eugen Stark (Bern), Viktor Gschmeidler (director), Heinrich Trimbur (director), Dolores Schmidinger (Roveda) , Heinz Petters (Dögelmann), Hilde Sochor (Mrs. Eiderhof), Christine Buchegger (Helene), Karlheinz Hackl and Gustav Dieffenbacher (Dregulein). In 1981 it was performed again under the direction of Michael Kehlmann in the Theater in der Josefstadt .
Text output
- Train of shadows . Drama in new pictures. From the estate, ed. and introduced by Françoise Derré. Frankfurt a. M .: Fischer 1970. ISBN 3-10073521-8
literature
Program booklet of the theater working group of the Justus-Knecht-Gymnasium Bruchsal for their performance of the play (author of the program booklet: Sinja Gerdes)