Prinz Friedrich von Homburg A play by Heinrich von Kleist

One who dreams his world to be as he likes, and whose world becomes as he dreamt it would be: shortly before his suicide Kleist tries to break the division between the outside world and the ego with his last drama – at the same time reasserting the hoped for tribute as a poet. But his prince is not one that Prussia would accept as a proper German hero. Dreamwalking, this Homburg braids a victory crown underneath an oak tree, he calls - half asleep, half awake – the Prince Elector father and his niece bride. Interpreting his dream as a sign of divinity, he interferes in the battle, gains a victory, but only because he defied the Prince Elector’s command. The death sentence according to law is imminent. Facing his own grave he pleads for mercy. The Prince Elector demands from him to execute himself. When the prince pleads guilty and wants to carry out the death sentence his dream comes true.
The Dutch stage director Johan Simons (who stages this season’s plays Tankred Dorst’s Merlin or Das Wüste Land for the RuhrTriennale) deals with Heinrich von Kleist for the first time with this production. He shows Kleist’s drama in two different levels: from the perspective of the past, in which ideals like unconditional love, family and loyalty towards the fatherland still seemed to influence man’s behaviour and action in the world, as well as from the perspective of the present time, which, through the experience of two World Wars, knows about the denial of such ideals during history. In doing so, this evening confronts us with the question whether a humanitarian state system without ideals may be workable at all.

The performances of Prinz Friedrich von Homburg take place on October 9, 10 and 11 at 19:00 in the Theater Duisburg. Tickets bought for these prospective days which were designated for Twelfth Night or What You Will remain valid or may be returned when required. Tickets for the Twelfth Night or What You Will performances on October 5, 6 and 7 may be either returned to the advance booking counter or be replaced for tickets of Prinz Friedrich von Homburg.