Theater Basel, Switzerland
KING SIZE
Enharmonic Changes
In composition, Enharmonic means a special way of redefining a tone as another; it’s an unique technique, very popular with composers of the last two centuries.
Not without reason – could there be any idea of change which is closer to life than this one? Isn’t every human relationship an enharmonic relationship of sorts? Every marriage, every secret love, every kiss?
And since this fact is as obvious as it is unexplored, Christoph Marthaler and his ensemble perform keyhole surgery on the brain while it’s in the middle of enharmonic decisions: in its very sleep.
Our place of nightly rest is in perfect order, beautifully designed in softest colours – and at its centre the object of desire: the king-size bed! Here, where supreme intimacy (in loving union) is conjoined with total absence (while sleeping), we can witness moments of human transformations in their most intense and most cruel forms.
And since it always takes three to follow the enharmonic changes of faith, devotion, bliss and happiness, singers/performers Tora Augestad and Michael von der Heide are accompanied by mysterious Mr. Dethleffsen – in the truest sense of the word. But who is the other person in the room, this elderly lady? Is she spying on them? Her true identity remains a secret…
With: Tora Augestad, Bendix Dethleffsen, Michael von der Heide, Nikola Weisse
Director: Christoph Marthaler
Stage Designer: Duri Bischoff
Costume Designer: Sarah Schittek
Music: Bendix Dethleffsen
Dramaturg: Malte Ubenauf
First performance – 8 of March 2013
Duration – 1 hour 20 minutes