D: Anita Vulesica
Anita Vulesica brings her trademark high-energy absurdity, as well as the corporate-culture critique of her most recent Deutsches Theater premiere, Der Gehaltserhöhung (“the raise”), into the moral thicket of power machinations in girl-boss industries.
Franka König (a hammy Fritzi Haberlandt) is the celebrated and feared CEO of Never, whose life is turned upside down when a former employee (a witchy Henni Jörissen) accuses her of firing her for asking for a tampon. When a video of the incident finally comes to light, the truth is more disturbing: König can’t admit that she is ever hurting, covering up the exculpating evidence because it reveals her crying.
It’s a smart conceit for a piece that seeks to be a tragicomic satire about pain – female and otherwise – even if much of what it’s satirising feel like easy targets (tradwives, commodified feminism). The broad humour and constant pop culture references somewhat smother the force of Svenja Viola Baumgarten’s clever if deeply cynical text.
However, by the end, the driving idea reveals itself. It all culminates in a schlocky slaughter, where the women finally find solidarity in a new awareness: they are all locked in a network of suffering. As the actors remove their makeup, they celebrate with a shared drink. It’s a sweet moment that makes one wish they could have dispensed with the adornment earlier.
- Sep 21, Deutsches Theater, German with English surtitles
