To mark the 100th anniversary of Franz Kafka's death, we set off on a journey into the labyrinth of his thoughts. Figures and spaces emerge from papers and wondrous finds, old books and writings, making Kafka's literature a sensual experience. From short stories and fragments such as "Night", "The Cares of the Housefather","Dream", "Homecoming" and fragments of the octavo booklets, theater images emerge in the interplay of language, music and movement. The central text is "The Cares of the Housefather", the Kafkaesque description of a living being called Odradek. A utopian text that deals with the mystery of things. The central question about the life and death of things and whether they are capable of dying if they were never alive is perfect for puppet theater. “kafkabagage” invites you on a journey into Franz Kafka’s literature, which allows us to recognize the fears and absurdities of our present day in his visions of the 1920s. Two people set off with voices and texts in their luggage. Six stories, four fragments and a letter. Written paper, folded thoughts, torn wishes. A poetic journey in the footsteps of Franz Kafka begins, with characters and found objects, luggage and rabble. Kafkabagage.

Duration 60 minutes, no pause.

Premiere September 19th 2024 as part of the “Kafka smiles” festival

With support from Ministerium für Forschung, Wissenschaft und Kunst Baden-Württemberg and Universitätsstadt Tübingen

press reviews

Nothingness becomes visible
The "Kafkabagage" of the Tübingen Puppet Theater enchants with a beautifully lit collage
A weightless work of art can be seen in the puppet theater. It brings out the magic of Kafka's words, but also their comic absurdity. This is how a beautiful play has been achieved that captivates the eyes and makes the words sound like music. You can forget the hunt for meaning and simply let yourself be enchanted. The profane is connected with the deep, the big with the small, people with things, the visible with the invisible, being with nothing.
The two puppeteers do not have to hide in order to bring Frank Soehnle's fantastic puppets to life. They are a crucial part of the puzzle. Attention is sometimes directed to the fictional character and sometimes to the people in their calm, concentrated presence. The puppet and the person are also hanging on the same threads, one above, the other below. This creates wonderful changes between human and artificial hands, between paper and form. And when a straw hat dangles over a shirt, you suddenly see a head instead of the nothingness in between.
It doesn't seem to take much to create a being. It is built up from gold-plated bones shaken out of a bottle. In movement it becomes a character. Meanwhile, a skeleton-like, ghostly creature tries to free itself from a bottle, wriggling and kicking.
While a burning candle spins on the turntable, many fantastic figures appear, a whole Kafka baggage.
Two-faced creatures, sometimes a crow, sometimes a waxen beauty. An eerie
"Faintness" with striking sparkling stones and a certain "Odradek", a copper-colored creature that consists only of a head and hands. In Kafka's miniature "The Cares of the Householder", "Odradek" is a broken structure: "meaningless, but in its own way complete".
Interpreters find Kafka's texts difficult to understand, entering into a battle for the most exaggerated interpretations. But here - none of that. Here the magic is not dissected, the words shine like stars in this work of art carefully composed from darkness and light.

Südwestpresse 09/21/2024

technical staging specifications

• stage area 5m x 4m (width x depth)
• Blackbackdrop or dark theaterspace
• Mounting options on the stage ceiling see plan
•  Rising rows of seats for the audience
•  Stage height at least 3.20m
•  Room that can be darkened
•  Distance from the first row of seats to the edge of the stage at least 1.5m

TECHNICAL DETAILS

• Complete lighting system: 12 channel lighting console (without memory function)
• 12 spotlights minimum 500W, focusable (effect spotlights are brought along)
• Cloakroom for 2 people with sink

TIME

• Duration of performance 60 min
• Set up 5 hours - dismantling 1 hour

PYROTECHNICS
During the performance two matches and a candle will be lit .Please check smoke detectors.

Please note:

• The stage area should be completely darkened
• Maximum number of spectators 150 people
• The performance is for young people and adults

Please discuss any deviations with us.

Technician: Christian Glötzner,  +49 176 7129767

ChristianGloetzner@gmx.de