Montoliu-Kostüm/Bühne

Was Ihr Wollt

Stage director: Moritz Nikolaus Koch October 2024 Photo Tom Leather

Was Ihr Wollt

A comedy by William Shakespeare

Gender Swapping and Romantic Entanglements: Following a shipwreck, the young Viola finds herself in the unfamiliar region of Illyria. Disguised as a young man, she enters the service of Duke Orsino, who quickly becomes fond of her. However, Orsino is in love with Countess Olivia, and sends the disguised Viola, alias Cesario, to deliver messages of love to her. Olivia, in turn, immediately falls in love with Cesario. Meanwhile, Sir Andrew and Sir Toby spend their days drinking. They are repeatedly interrupted by Olivia's steward, Malvolio, who is also in love with his mistress. Together with the maid Maria, the two drunkards forge a letter addressed to Malvolio, in which Olivia confesses her love for him. Malvolio then makes a complete fool of himself in response to the letter. Then Sebastian, Viola's twin brother, who was believed to be dead, also turns up in Illyria, taking the confusion to new heights.
As You Like It, written around 1601, is one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies. Lively and cheerful yet also melancholy and bitterly angry, the play subverts gender roles and notions of identity in a strikingly modern way, conjuring up an ethereal, intoxicating world of yearning for love in Illyria.

Stage Director: Moritz Nikolaus Koch
Set & costume design: Belén Montoliú
Lighting: David Herzog
Composition and sound design: Oliver Niess
Dramaturgy: Maxi Ratzkowski

Premiere October 2024