Anyone new: The death of a manager

By Werner Rohrhofer

The "Jedermann" in Salzburg is a theater of tradition and high culture. But what does a modern "Everyman" look like in the 21st century? Where are the themes of money, love and death in the world of Big Data? In order to get an answer to these questions, it is better not to go to the Salzburg Cathedral Square, but in the Freistadt exhibition hall. The latter is the scene of the production "Jedermanns Schuld & Sühne" by Ulf Dückelmann, located in the Theaterzeit // Freistadt. A powerful piece of theater that was premiered on Friday

Powerful, simply because the author and renowned director challenges the actors and the audience with three and a half hours of pure time. Say it right away: Nevertheless, the evening is never long, on the contrary, this version of Jedermann touches, sometimes goes to the kidneys, at least not cold, but faces the difficult existential questions with which the central figure – Christian Jedermann, director of the company of the same name.

Because of his vision or premonition, or anything, he is afraid of dying in a few hours. The fear of death changes his attitude towards life, everything becomes relatively insignificant. In his desperation, everyone is looking for people who bring him comfort and support, whether in the family, at the business partner's or even at his lover's, the fictitious country's prime minister. But no one shows understanding, everyone is trapped in their world with their problems. Christian Jedermann realizes his guilt

When it comes to the morbid Jedermann family, Dückelmann deliberately borrows from Hendrik Ibsen and the famous work of FM Dostoevsky "Schuld and atonement". During the play, Christian Jedermann becomes more and more aware of his guilt – especially in professional life – while trying to atone for forgiveness. Even though this effort has catastrophic consequences for his fellow humans. Especially in the second part, the question of God becomes more and more important. "Faith is a complicated thing, but nothingness is not an option," says Jedermann. Naturally, the age-old and never-satisfied question answers the question of why God, if He exists, allows suffering and evil.

It would be unfair to designate individual actors in the aggregate. The entire cast team masters not only the long playing time, but also the difficult because of their existential depth difficult roles brilliantly. The scenography is simple, it does not take much more than a few chairs. The constant light "fog" is above the landscape, live piano music creates a mystical mood. And Dückelmann uses a trick to amplify certain details: sequences of short films and Skype pbadages are recorded

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Performances until August 4; Tickets: Ö-Ticket