On Christmas Eve in 2012, Édouard Louis was raped and almost murdered in his apartment in Paris. Four years later, a bestselling novel was published based on that traumatic event. Along with Thomas Ostermeier and Florian Borchmeyer, History of Violence has been adapted for the stage in a riveting and multi-layered production.
A young man is sitting on a chair in what appears to be a waiting area. The room is sterile in appearance. In the large St. Ann’s Warehouse space, the set’s backdrop is enormously high. People in hazmat suits come in and start to lift fingerprints off the floor. A camera and microphone capture their efforts. These sights and sounds are projected on the screen and through the superb sound design. Evidence identification markers are placed around a crime scene. What has happened?
Édouard reported the attempted homicide several hours after the incident occurred. In the early morning hours of December 25th, he jumps in the shower. He aggressively scrubs away the smell of Reda. On his way home the evening before, the two men met walking down the street. Reda cruised and charmed his way into an invitation. The men had sex before things turned extremely dark.
At the start of this play Édouard was sitting on a chair because he went to the hospital for an antiviral prophylaxis treatment. The grimness of the events are effectively rendered. The tale is made bearable, and often very funny, by the mechanics of the storytelling and the clear-eyed, inventive and unique staging.
The courtship at the beginning of this horrific one night stand is flirtatious and cute. Reda comes across as irresistibly sexy. Renato Schuch is exceptional in the role. The transformation to a terrifying demon is deeply layered with guilt, shame and self-preservation.
Édouard escapes Paris for a few days to visit his sister in the small town where he grew up. He is another gay man who fled to the big city rather than fight small mindedness and stifling oppression. His sister is played by the excellent Alina Stiegler. She listens to her brother sympathetically and quite critically. She repeats the story to her husband (Christoph Gawenda) while Édouard overhears them.
The family dynamic, the innate turmoils of homosexuals and societal repressions swirl gently and meaningfully as this tale unfolds. Racism enters the storm as well. Reda is an Algerian man. The police believe he must be a miscreant and a criminal.
An unusually forthright memoir is brought to life through the bookish Édouard himself. Laurenz Laufenberg impressively captures and demonstrates his naivete, his desire for love, his retreat, his shame and his ultimate survival. The recollections are intense and uncomfortable. The pendulum swings frequently and remarkably effortlessly between joyful (dance breaks!) and horrifying (rape). Both extremes keep the edges sharp and surprising.
History of Violence is a presentation from the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz (Theatre on Lehniner Square) in Berlin. Artistic Director Thomas Ostermeier directed this outstanding production which is performed in German with English supertitles. This is contemporary theater enriched by extraordinary storytelling and an unflinching examination of the human condition. Be warned. This show sails through some rough waters.
This company travels the world showcasing its voluminous work. They have produced one hundred world and German premieres in the past nineteen years. I will not miss an opportunity to experience again this level of quality and originality.
History of Violence is playing at St. Ann’s Warehouse until December 1, 2019.
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