The simultaneity of freedom and captivity

Uncertainty from Kafka to today

"Someone must have slandered Josef K., for without having done anything wrong, he was arrested one morning". This opening sentence in "The Trial", a posthumously published novel fragment by Franz Kafka, captures the essence of one of the most famous works in world literature: uncertainty. Despite the authorial narrative voice of the opening sentence, neither the protagonist Josef K. nor the audience can be certain of their view of things as the action unfolds. 
In the stage adaptation created by Tobias Schmidt for the Würzburg Theatre Ensemble, this uncertainty becomes apparent to the audience on a second level as well: alongside the protagonist Josef K. (played by Johannes Kern), all other roles are performed by the three actors Julian Sturz, Johanna Bode and Vivianne Hammermüller. This means that in every scene the audience must reorient themselves. This change of character is not made clear through different clothing or other identifying features, but only subtly, for example by tucking in the shirt of the performers or wearing it loosely over the trousers, or by adjusting vocal pitch and facial expression. Due to the expressive, passionate performance by the four participants, however, it was always possible to settle into a new scene without difficulty. Beyond the performing individuals, the stage design is also kept very minimalist. Essentially only three metal door frames are used, which, in addition to their actual use for suggesting doors, are used in many different ways. They symbolise, among other things, the workplaces of the three bank employees who are subordinate to the procurator Josef K., or also the picture frames in Titorelli's studio, in which the protagonist is staged merely as an art object and his actual problem is overlooked. 
The action is driven forward above all by loud, pulsating techno, which grabs the observer by the hand and carries them through the scenes. The break with Kafka's rather factual and sober narrative style brings the content of The Trial into the 21st century and is at the same time an expression of the protagonist's emotional world, who never learns why he is accused until the end. Despite the numerous – sometimes well-intentioned – offers of help from his landlady, the investigating judge or the lawyer specifically engaged by Josef K. for his case, he does not get any closer to his goal throughout the entire course and repeatedly experiences moments of despair and resignation, but also of indifference towards the fact of apparently being accused without justification and having to wait for the beginning of his trial. The protagonist's journey culminates in a meeting with the prison chaplain, who tells him that things do not look good for his case, but he only gains final certainty in the final scene. With this production, the Theatre Ensemble has truly created something special: although Kafka's novel fragments are over 100 years old, identification with the present time can take place due to the striking, minimalist and controversial narrative style. The permanent uncertainty in which we find ourselves in the face of major global challenges such as the climate crisis, the loss of biodiversity and soil quality, and increasing economic inequality, holds us captive even though we are still free. With regard to our own guilt, we can also sympathise with Josef K.'s emotional world, since it is also hidden from us what responsibility falls on each individual. However, we know that this trial still awaits us and can only hope that we are given the opportunity for an ending that differs from that in Kafka's work. An evening that will remain in memory.

Performances take place from 21.04.2022 to 25.06.2022; further information is available on the Theatre Ensemble's website