Burgtheater: Jelinek's controversial piece in the shadow of history

Elfriede Jelinek's piece Burgtheater after the premiere in Bonn, caused a sensation and quickly became a scandal. At that time, the piece was relatively unknown compared to later works, such as Thomas Bernhards Heldenplatz . Nevertheless, the public response and the controversy around the piece quickly increased.

The main topic of Burgtheater is the opportunistic support of renowned actors for the Nazi regime. Jelinek thus created an urgent and provocative work that critically examines how to deal with one's own past and the moral complexities of the then society at the time. The examination of the role of the theater in an authoritarian regime played a central role in the discussion about the social responsibility of artists.

The reception of the piece, however, remained shaped by a "non -performance story". Many theaters preferred not to stage the work, which may be due to the political and social taboos of the time. The combination of Jelinek's sharp social criticism and the historical references converted the piece into a hedgehog that deterred or disturbed large parts of the audience.

The debate about Burgtheater is an example of the challenges that theater makers in the creation and performance of provocative works face. The reactions to Jelinek's play show how art often acts as a mirror of society by brings uncomfortable truths to light. This also makes the piece a relevant topic in the theater landscape decades later.

This day, Jelinek's work is still being examined and discussed. Theater productions that deal with the legacy of National Socialism and the moral questions of the past find a growing audience. This ensures that the topics of Burgtheater are not forgotten, but continue to remain part of the critical argument in the theater world.