Klaus Mann's incisive 1936 exile novel—a sharp satire on opportunism and artistic compromise during Nazi Germany. Director Frank Castorf brings this darkly compelling adaptation to the stage, following actor Hendrik Höfgen (inspired by Gustaf Gründgens) as he navigates the seductive allure of power and the eroticism of betrayal.

The production confronts us with uncomfortable parallels to our own era, asking how easily we might compromise our values when circumstances demand it. Castorf explores the intoxication of power, the fatal charm of complicity, and the moral collapse that occurs when artistic integrity collides with political reality.

A provocative meditation on how artists rationalize their choices and what it means to remain true to oneself in times of darkness.

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