FESTE

A wedding is set to take place in a stately home by the sea. Out back, in the dark courtyard, there’s a flurry of activity. Deliveries are being made, cleaning is underway, things are being tidied up, security is being maintained, and trash is being hauled away. From the janitor to the chef, from the cleaning lady to the manager, everyone is doing their best to ensure that the celebration in the grand mansion becomes an unforgettable experience. In the shadow of the festive villa, the servants try to secure their place in the strict pecking order. Condemned to remain in the background, they struggle amid the hustle and bustle of the hectic preparations to maintain their dignity and earn the respect of the powerful and wealthy.

When a stranger suddenly appears in the backyard, the established order slowly but surely begins to unravel. Heavily pregnant and laden with a heavy backpack, she seeks refuge in the courtyard. In exchange for protection and the bare necessities, she soon discreetly offers her help. As if by magic, the stranger weaves a delicate web of relationships, and the lives of both the residents and the staff begin to change imperceptibly. Rigidity gives way to flexibility, unfulfillable wishes are granted, and panic attacks are soothed by the power of new life.

While the wedding of the daughter of the house is celebrated inside the villa with glamour, party excitement, and beautiful appearances, the celebration of life takes place in the backyard, with all its abysses and contradictions.

FESTE is a wordless fairy tale for adults, a poetic blend of bitter tragedy and dark slapstick. A tragicomic story about the pursuit of individual happiness—yet there is more hidden beneath the surface.

A fairy tale for adults that is both amusing and moving, featuring Familie Flöz’s unique blend of biting observations and political commentary. — Broadway World

A truly fantastic blend of puppetry and music, incredibly diverse ideas and stories, constant new twists—that’s life in all its vibrancy right there on stage. [...] And the amazing thing is, all these characters are brought to life on stage by just three actors! — rbb Kultur

It quickly becomes clear that the title “FESTE” is used ambiguously. It refers both to the wedding celebration and to the fortress, behind whose high walls you can hear the sea roaring but cannot see it. A symbol of “Fortress Europe,” which seals itself off from outsiders. Nevertheless, the production does not come across as a politically or morally didactic play, but is, at every moment, deeply human and moving. — Berliner Morgenpost

Familie Flöz leaves the audience in awe. The everyday life of a cleaning lady in search of human connection, the playfulness of a lazy janitor, the mischievous antics of a short-tempered cook, the fears of a distraught newlywed, and the discovery of a gentle tenderness that can bring comfort. — La Repubblica, Italy