Angst

Stefan Zweig
FEAR
A chamber play based on the novella of the same name
Stage adaptation by Lisa Wildmann

Stefan Zweig’s novella “Fear” is a psychological masterpiece and a linguistic gem. Written in Vienna in 1910, at the dawn of psychoanalysis, it remains as relevant as ever: We are all familiar with the physical and psychological reactions of fear.

Irene Wagner is cheating on her husband. After visiting her lover, she is blackmailed by another woman. She fears that her affair and her double life will be discovered; she is terrified of social ostracism and the loss of her social status. This draws her into a vortex that nearly drives her to suicide.

As a woman of the upper class, Zweig’s character Irene Wagner is financially and socially dependent on her husband. A great deal has changed for women in Central Europe since then. Nevertheless, there often remains a discrepancy between our intimate needs and our behavior, as we adapt to society’s expectations and norms. This discrepancy can be terrifying.

In her play “Angst,” actress and director Lisa Wildmann explores this discrepancy. In doing so, she creates a powerful portrait of a woman caught between loneliness, longing, and feelings of guilt.

Experience Lisa Wildmann up close and in an exclusive performance for a small audience in the historic Oval of the Theater unterm Dach at the Altes Schauspielhaus.

“Wildmann is compelling in every facet of her performance. (...) ‘Angst’ is a truly wonderful theatrical experience...” (Allgäuer Zeitung)

Directed by and starring Lisa Wildmann