Männersache

theater production

“Männersache” (“Man’s business”), a play originally written in 1972 by Franz Xaver Kroetz, shows a short fight between a woman, a man and a dog, full of passion, sex and a few Bavarian moments. What starts with a common relationship quarrel ends in an unusual solution to the conflict: the absolute sellout of one’s own wishes and needs in favour of a partnership. The piece purposely plays with a style that is almost stilted, jerky, hyper-emotional, shrill, boring. As “Männersache” progresses, a happy ending moves further out of reach. Through a desirous dispute about proximity and boundaries between a couple that lasts over eight scenes, this satirical theater play explores the contradictions underlying romantic relationships.