Marie-Antoinette in the Cluss Garden: satire, cake and guillotine!

Marie-Antoinette in the Cluss Garden: satire, cake and guillotine!

On August 16, 2025, in the Cluss Garden in Ludwigsburg, the audience experienced the premiere of the satirical play “Marie-Antoinette or Cake for Everyone!”, staged by Christine Hofer. The piece was written by Peter Jordan and Leonhard Koppelmann. The plot revolves around the final years of Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI. during the French Revolution and is told in a grotesque and humorous way. The protagonists and the aristocratic circles are illuminated in a fascinating light and the absurdities of the time are reflected in an ironic way.

Marie-Antoinette, portrayed by Alexandra Marinescu, considers sending her children to a Waldorf kindergarten while living with Louis XVI. (Karsten Zinser) has been waiting for her execution for 15 years. The queen conjures up a feeling for the bizarreness of the ruling elite with the head of Madame Dubarry, whose grotesque beheading is depicted on stage. “If the people have no bread, let them eat cake!” is one of the famous sentences that Marie-Antoinette proclaims in the play and which reinforces the image of the indifferent monarch.

Satire meets slapstick

The play offers a mixture of slapstick elements and screwball comedy. Intrigues and power struggles escalate, leading to numerous creative scenes. So Robespierre, who is poisoned with a piece of cake by the royals, is slipperily thrown out the window. These stylistic choices ensure that the audience is not only encouraged to laugh, but also to think about the structures of power that unfold in the play.

Paula Gehrlein's costumes highlight the splendor and lavish style of the period's wigs and dresses, bringing the historical setting to life. The musical direction is in the hands of Carmen Stürmer and Elias Baumann, who integrate rock and pop numbers into the piece. But classical elements such as Mozart's “Requiem” also find their place and perfectly underline the dramatic and humorous scenes.

Ensemble shines on stage

Josephine Bönsch impresses in her versatility, playing multiple roles including the chambermaid Cecile and Napoleon. Elias Baumann, also part of the ensemble, shows an admirable acting versatility that captivates the audience. And not to forget the unique comedy that emerges from the most absurd situations, such as the idea of ​​Napoleon announcing his ambitions for world domination.

“Marie-Antoinette or cake for everyone!” is not just a play, but a critical examination of power and responsibility, wrapped in humorous entertainment. The audience acknowledged the premiere with enthusiastic applause and gives hope that these fascinating actors and the clever production will delight many more viewers.

For those who want to learn more about Marie-Antoinette's background, it is worth taking a look at the historical archives or at the various representations of her name, which also survives in numerous variations such as Maria or Mary, such as Wikipedia reports.