Falk Richter
Falk Richter is a playwright/director and as of 2019 professor at The Danish National School of Performing Arts. Richter is internationally renowned for his interdisciplinary work and distinct way of engaging with pressing social and political issues through performing arts. Questions of gender, heritage and belonging, as well as the politics of identity and resistance play an important role in his work, which is always research-based/oriented. Collaborating with actors, musicians, dancers, and video artists in processes, which may both take their point of departure in plays written by Richter as well as texts devised jointly during the rehearsal process, the work of Richter is rooted in a distinct intersectional approach to performing arts. Richter works internationally (Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Australia, Holland, Belgium and beyond) and mostly with international casts.
Falk Richter’s professorship at The Danish National School of Performing Arts
Taking the students’ creative ideas as a point of departure, the main focus of the MFA laboratory led by Falk Richter will be to create a master class for emerging artists, who aim to create their own projects and original works, either by taking on the role as writers/directors or by working as a collective. In turn, the laboratory will explore how students may develop their own methodological approach when engaging with projects situated in the intersection between new playwriting, performance, dance, video art, live music, as well as social and political research. Central questions to be explored include: How can artistic ideas be found, conceptualized, and developed into theatre performances or immersive projects? How do we commit our work to contemporary culture and politics? How do we build an ensemble? How do we gather an artistic team around us that supports our work? How do we initiate and lead a collective artistic process?
Professor Richter’s workshops will include international guest teachers, excursions and international theatre work (e.g., in Berlin and Hamburg) and it is an integral part of his role as professor at The Danish National School of Performing Arts to develop the international profile of the new MFA. In 2019, Professor Richter's classes, lectures and workshops with the MA students will be held in Copenhagen, New York City, Hamburg and Berlin.
Richter has been director in residence at the Schaubühne in Berlin since 2000, and has also worked freelance at renowned theatres such as the Burgtheater in Vienna, Schauspielhaus Hamburg, Schauspielhaus Zurich, Salzburger Festspiele, Vienna States Opera, Ruhrtriennale, Theatre National Brussels, Royal National Theatre Oslo, Frankfurt Opera, Schauspielhaus Vienna, Schauspiel Frankfurt and Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin. He began collaborating with choreographer Anouk can Dijk over ten years ago, creating the production "Nothing Hurts" (Kampnagel 1999, Berlin 2000). Their shared fascination for each other’s multi layered way of working led to later collaborations in "TRUST" (Schaubühne, 2009), "PROTECT ME" (Schaubühne, 2010), “RAUSCH” (Schauspiel Düsseldorf, 2012), COMPLEXITY OF BELONGING (Chunky Move and Melbourne Theatre Company, 2014) all touring internationally. Their latest collaboration “Safe Places” premiered in Frankfurt in fall 2016.
In his work, Falk Richter searches for friction with reality, with our present world, with our current political and economical system – with its contradictions, paradoxes, absurdities and incessant demand for acceleration and growth. Richter’s texts have a critical point of view on social, economical, political issues. They seize and describe the effects of our neoliberal system, its ideologies and technologies on the individual – on the individual’s thoughts, feelings, language and behavior. Richter describes a world in which the market ideology of efficiency, acceleration and self-optimization has penetrated nearly every corner of the human existence, work, love and life. The protagonists in Richter’s works are people who live, work and love globally, who are globally connected and at the same time seem to have lost their roots or their sense of belonging. People who live through the internet, through virtuality, who permanently optimize and control themselves, the image they are giving to others and the interactions they have with others. Lonesome individuals in search for acknowledgment, proximity, love and in the next moment stagger, scare away, retreat themselves in emotional isolation or the eternal quest for more and better options. Coldness, break-down, collapse, fear of being alone, of being numb or void are recurring metaphors and references in his texts – whose language is often composed like a music score, revealing in its underlying rhythm states of hyper-speeding-up, hysteria, pressure and collapse. At the same time, irony, humor and absurdity reveal the paradox complexity and often ridiculousness of our hyper-civilized world at the beginning of the 21st century. Richter’s recent work analyzes the rupture in western societies which appear torn between the departure towards more liberalism, openness and equality on the one hand and the fear-driven shift towards reactionary right-wing populism, xenophobia, homophobia, sexism and religious fundamentalism on the other hand. “FEAR” (Schaubühne, 2015) uses the metaphor of the zombie to characterize the undead forces of nationalism, racism and homophobia that suddenly get more and more visible in public discourse. The production criticizes prominent politicians of the extreme-right such as Beatrix von Storch (vice-president of the Alternative für Deutschland) or religious fundamentalist activists against marriage equality, Hedwig von Beverfoerde (organizer of the homophobic Demo für Alle) who both tried to sue the theatre and Falk Richter in order to forbid the performance – without success. In recent workshop productions at the Venice Biennale, Frinje Madrid and the Wiener Festwochen, Richter collaborated with the choreographer Nir de Volff and a young, heterogeneous ensemble of performers in order to question the notion of identity beyond simplistic norms of nation, culture, gender and sexual orientation.
Many of Falk Richter’s recent project works bring together different art forms and disciplines. Music is important to both, his texts and also as an element on stage. From pop song lyrics to highly complex electronic compositions and rhythms, the range is wide but music is a motor, impulse and inspiration in his productions. Choreography, dance and movement have become very important in Richter’s recent work. All his collaborations with Anouk van Dijk or with choreographer Nir de Volff bring together actors and dancers, text and movement and blur the borders between disciplines: one can take over the lead, serve or contradict the other; both perfect harmony and sharp contrasts are characteristics of his theatre work with dance. Richter has done own choreographies, in his music theatre work “FOR THE DISCONNECTED CHILD” (Schaubühne/Staatsoper Berlin, 2013) or "Play Loud” (Théâtre National de Bruxelles, 2011). In projects bringing together text and other art forms, the rehearsal space becomes a laboratory, in which different ways of artistic expression meet, communicate, and call each other into question, and join their forces to explore unknown territory. Richter also collaborated internationally, e.g. with the French actor and director Stanislas Nordey, who co-directed and performed in “My Secret Garden” (Festival d’Avignon, 2010) and “Je suis Fassbinder” (Théâtre National de Strasbourg, 2016). Falk Richter works in parallel as an author and director, writing and improvising texts and movement during the rehearsal process: a text can inspire a movement and vice-versa, an actor or dancer can inspire a text and an improvisation a scene.
Performances (selection):
1994
„Portrait.Image.Concept“ by Falk Richter – Monolog with Bibiana Beglau (Thalia Theater Hamburg)
1995
„Section“ by Falk Richter – with Bibiana Beglau and Marc Hosemann (Westwerk Hamburg, Internationales Theatertreffen Potsdam)
1996
"Silicone“ by Gerardjan Rijnders (Junge Hunde Kampnagel)
1997
„Ashes to Ashes“ by Harold Pinter (DSE – Kampnagel Hamburg)
"Cult! – Stories for a virtual generation" by Falk Richter (Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus)
"Attempts on her life" by Martin Crimp (Toneelgroep Amsterdam)
"Trainspotting" by Irvin Welsh (Staatstheater Mainz)
1998
"In the jungle of the cities" by Bertolt Brecht (Theater Seven Stages, Atlanta/USA)
1999
"God is a DJ" by Falk Richter (Staatstheater Mainz)
"Nothing Hurts" by Anouk van Dijk/ Falk Richter (Kampnagel Hamburg/ Springdance Festival, Utrecht)
"Who.." by Oscar van Woensel, Translation by Falk Richter (Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg)
"Handbag" by Mark Ravenhill, DSE (Deutsches Theater Göttingen)
2000
"Saint Joan of the Stockyards" by Bertolt Brecht (Toneelgroep Amsterdam)
"PEACE" by Falk Richter (Schaubühne Berlin)
Invited to Berliner Theatertreffen with "Nothing Hurts" (by Falk Richter)
Season 2000/2001 until 2003/2004: Director at Schauspielhaus Zürich
"Nightsongs“ by Jon Fosse, DSE (Schauspielhaus Zürich)
"Some explicit polaroids" by Mark Ravenhill, DSE (Schauspielhaus Zürich)
2001
"Far away" by Caryl Churchill, DSE (Schaubühne Berlin)
„We come to the river“, Opera by Hans-Werner Henze / Libretto by Edward Bond (Hamburgische Staatsoper)
„4.48 Psychosis“ by Sarah Kane (Co-Production Schaubühne Berlin and Schauspielhaus Zürich)
Nomination for the Nestroy Award (Austria) for „Nightsongs“ (Best german-speaking Performance)
Radio Plays Award (Deutscher Hörspielpreis) from Akademie der Künste in Berlin for „Nothing Hurts“, Invitation to New York City Festival (radio plays award)
2002
„Clinic“ by Lars Noren, DSE (Schauspielhaus Zürich)
2003
„A number“ by Caryl Churchill / translated by Falk Richter, Suisse Premiere (Schauspielhaus Zürich)
Direction oft he Opera „The face in the mirror“ by Jörg Widmann/Libretto: Roland Schimmelpfennig (Bayerische Staatsoper München)
Direction of:
„Seven Seconds (In God We Trust)“ by Falk Richter
„For a better world“ by Roland Schimmelpfennig
(both at Schauspielhaus Zürich)
2004
The System – Schaubühne Berlin
“Electronic City”
“Under Ice” (UA)
„AMOK/ Fewer emergencies“ (DSE)
„Hotel Palestine“ (in collaboration with Marcel Luxinger) (UA)
„The Seagull“ by Anton Chekov / adapted by Falk Richter, translated by Ulrike Zemme, Co-Production: Salzburger Festspiele / Schauspielhaus Zürich / Schaubühne Berlin
„Elektra“ by Richard Strauss (Opera Frankfurt)
November 2004: Publication of the book THE SYSTEM by Falk Richter (Verlag Theater der Zeit)
2005
„The Importance of Being Earnest“ by Oscar Wilde/Elfriede Jelinek (Burgtheater Vienna)
„The Disturbance“ by Falk Richter (Schaubühne Berlin)
2006
„Skuggar (Shadows) by Jon Fosse, World Premiere (Festival Bergen, Co-Production with Nationaltheater Oslo (Premiere in Norwegian))
„Three Sisters“ by Anton Chekov, Adaption by Falk Richter (Schaubühne Berlin)
2007
„Julius Caesar“ by William Shakespeare (Burgtheater Vienna)
„State of Emergency“ by Falk Richter (Schaubühne Berlin)
„The Marksman“, Opera by Carl Maria von Weber (Salzburger Festspiele)
„Under Ice Opera“, Composition: Jörn Arnecke / Libretto: Falk Richter (Ruhrtriennale)
2008
„Eugen Onegin“, Opera by Peter Tschaikowsky (Tokio/Japan 2008, Co-Production with Staatsoper Vienna 2009)
„Jeunesse Blessée/Damaged Youth“ by Falk Richter (National Theater of Brussels)
2009
„Eugen Onegin“ (Staatsoper Vienna)
„TRUST“ by Falk Richter and Anouk van Dijk (Schaubühne Berlin)
2010
„PROTECT ME by Falk Richter and Anouk van Dijk (Schaubühne Berlin, Co-Production with Theaternetzwerk Prospero / Rennes)
„My Secret Garden“ by Falk Richter and Stanislas Nordey (Festival Avignon, Co-Production with Reims / Paris / Bruxelles / Geneve / Saarbrücken)
2011
„Play Loud“ by Falk Richter (National Theater of Brussels)
„The Map and the Territory“, Adaption of the novel by Michel Houellebecq (Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus)
2012
„Rausch“ by Falk Richter and Anouk van Dijk (Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf)
„Büchner“ (Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf)
2013
„For the Disconnected Child“ by Falk Richter (Co-Production Schaubühne Berlin with Staatsoper Unter den Linden)
2014
"SMALL TOWN BOY" by Falk Richter (Maxim Gorki Theater)
2014
"Complexity Of Belonging" by Falk Richter and Anouk van Dijk (Chunky Move, Australia)
2014
"Never Forever" by Falk Richter (Schaubühne Berlin)
2015
"ZWEI UHR NACHTS" by Falk Richter (Schauspiel Frankfurt)
2015
"FEAR" by Falk Richter (Schaubühne Berlin)
2016
"Città del Vaticano", a project by Falk Richter and Nir de Volff (Schauspielhaus Wien)
2016
"Je Suis Fassbinder" (Théâtre National de Strasbourg) by Falk Richter
2016
"SAFE PLACES", a project by Falk Richter and Anouk van Dijk (Schauspiel Frankfurt)
2017
"VERRÄTER" by Falk Richter (Maxim Gorki Theater)
2017
"ON THE ROYAL ROAD" by Elfriede Jelinek, directed by Falk Richter (Deutsches SchauSpielHaus Hamburg)
2018
"SAFE" by Falk Richter (Royal Dramaten Stockholm)
LAZARUS by Enda Walsh and David Bowie Schauspielhaus Hamburg
2019
I AM EUROPE by Falk Richter Theatre National Strasbourg and Theatre Odeon Paris in cooperation with various European Theatres
German Publications/ Theatre Plays at S.FISCHER-VERLAG:
Everything. In one night. (1997)
Cult! – Stories for a virtual generation (1997)
God is a DJ (1998)
Nothing Hurts (1999)
PEACE (2000)
Electronic City (2002)
Seven Seconds (In God We Trust) (2003)
Markedly fewer casualties(2004)
Under Ice (2004)
Hotel Palestine (2004)
A brief disturbance (2005)
The Disturbance (2005)
Damaged Youth (2006)
State of emergency (2007)
TRUST (2009)
French Publications (L'ARCHE):
BOOK 1
THE SYSTEM
Hotel Palestine
Electronic City
Under Ice
BOOK 2
TRUST / Nothing Hurts
BOOK 3
MY SECRET GARDEN
More Publications (Verlag THEATER DER ZEIT):
Book 1
DAS SYSTEM by Falk Richter
Book 2
TRUST by Falk Richter (published by Nicole Gronemeyer with texts of Eva Illouz, Hans Thies Lehmann, Richard Sennett, Bernd Stegemann, Anouk van Dijk, Falk Richter)
Published as a book:
All theatre play by Falk Richter: UNTER EIS by Falk Richter (Stücke 1994-2005)
Radio Plays:
Saturn Returnz (2000) (Deutschlandradio Berlin)
God is a DJ (2000) (NDR/WDR – und RB)
Nothing Hurts (2001) (SWR)
War of images (2003) (Deutschlandradio Berlin)
Electronic City (2003) (Radio Bremen / SFB)
Seven Seconds (In God We Trust) (NDR/ RB/ and ABC Sydney/Australia)
Markedly fewer casualties (Radio Bremen)
Under Ice (NDR - Direction: Ulrich Lampen / in Vorbereitung für Mai 2005)
Damaged Youth (RBB Direction: Falk Richter)
Markedly fewer casualties (RBB )
A brief disturbance (RBB)
Under the ice (ABC Sydney - Direction: Benedict Andrews)
Electronic City (ABC Sydney - Direction: Lizzy Doyle)
