Event

Since the author and director Manfred Karge staged the impressive monologue "Jacke wie Hose" himself at the Bochumer Schauspielhaus in 1982, the play has experienced a series of new productions worldwide that continues to this day, it has been translated into many languages and filmed with Tilda Swinton in the role of Max/Ella Gericke. The appeal of the play for the actresses and the audience lies in Manfred Karge's special interpretation of the 'gender swap' and the extraordinary biography he presents.
While in classic comedies women take on a 'trouser role' in order to approach the lover incognito, this decision in "Jacke wie Hose" has no amorous reasons, here it is simply a matter of survival: The young widowed Ella Gericke decides to assume the identity of her deceased husband in order to earn a living as Max Gericke at his workplace.
The plucky woman not only manages to survive through times of upheaval, she also manages to survive as a man with ingenuity, courage and humor in a Germany that is always in crisis. In a reminiscent look back, we learn in brief glimpses of this everyday life lived without a female identity, the delicate and tense situations, losses and successes of this special existence.
In her evening of theater with music, Anne Simmering draws a bow to the present day and asks what this life story can tell us about our country, which is also currently 'torn apart', and our excessive demands and longings. The actress lends the story additional appealing associations of sound and content with numerous songs, chansons and couplets. For this special musical concept, she has a sensitive and extremely knowledgeable artistic partner at the piano in Vincenzo de Lucia.

Age recommendation: 14+

Duration: approx. 80 minutes

Press reviews:
"For Anne Simmering, this one-person play is also an opportunity to showcase her many talents. Acting-wise, she conveys all the big emotions. [...] Simmering also makes skillful use of her musical talent. She has linked the story of Ella Gericke with many well-known melodies that know how to capture the emotionality of the text."
Franziska Wolfinger // Neu-Ulmer Zeitung

"Anne Simmering, confident in a double role, impressively opens up historical and psychological spaces of imagination in the almost 70 minutes of playing time. [...] It's her show, and a pleasure to watch."
Julika Nehb // Südwest Presse