Volksbühne Berlin am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
 

Johnny Chicago

by Jakob Hein


Jakob Hein is a doctor, author and reader. He is a member of the legendary Reformbühne “Heim und Welt”. No prices, no scholarships, no contests. He once met in Berlin a man wearing a badly-fitting suit who was an excellent optician: his name was Kurt Krömer. They started sharing the stage, and Hein wrote a play including Krömer as a character played by Krömer. Krömer plays Krömer and also someone other than Krömer. Hein is also in the play: he is a reporter. Krömer appears as Johnny Chicago in a talk show pandemonium called “Your Stars from Yesterday”, where he is interviewed by Hein a.k.a. Kai Kacke; he is not Krömer, but in the end, yes, he is. In the end, however, the end is not the end, since Johnny Chicago is immortal. Just like Krömer and art itself. Johnny Chicago learns the hard way that nowadays you need more than immortality to become a star. To bring all this to the stage, including its philosophical background, they convince Oscar-winner Toyland director Jochen A. Freydank. Although Freydank cannot stand the question about his Oscar statuette anymore and dislikes talk shows, he accepts. Only the girl is missing. Hein writes a perfect role for the amazing Inka Löwendorf. She is also willing and the studio countdown is heard throughout the Volksbühne: 3, 2, 1, we are on the air!

  

With: Jakob Hein, Kurt Krömer, Inka Löwendorf, Hanno Rank (Kamera), Steffen Schencker (Kamera), Tim Schallenberg (Musiker), Jörg Mischke (Musiker), Tim Lorenz (Musiker) and Jens Jensen (Musiker)

Director: Jochen A. Freydank
Music: Ingo Frenzel
Stage Designer: Tom Hornig
Costumes: Kathrin Krumbein
Light Design: Johannes Zotz
Dramaturgy: Sabrina Zwach

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