Kunst und Gemüse, A. Hipler

On a superficial level, “Kunst und Gemüse” is Schlingensief’s revenge on Wolfgang Wagner and the whole phenomenon of Bayreuth. At its heart, however, it is about nothing less than guilt and redemption, stasis and disintegration, life and death – all the themes of grand opera. The complexity with which its manifold context and forms are layered creates a rich and compelling range of associations which nevertheless still leaves space for disturbances and questions, cabbages and carrots – for the chaos of the world. With this piece of theatre as therapy for himself and others, Schlingensief finally reveals himself as the accomplished director he never wanted to be and the passionate truth-seeker and humanist he always was.
c.d.