Frühere Verhältnisse | Von nun an ging’s bergab

In *Frühere Verhältnisse*, Johann Nestroy exposes the hypocritical double standards of his characters, all of whom try to cover up their pasts in order to look better in each other’s eyes and to gain as much as possible from their network of relationships. They all sweep under the rug whatever doesn’t fit the image they’ve painted of themselves.

Austrian director Ruth Brauer-Kvam—with Graz-based musician deeLinde by her side—stages Nestroy’s one-act play as an evening of pure musical entertainment. To this end, she weaves the play with songs by Hildegard Knef, thus bringing the master of Old Viennese folk theater into contact with the work of the legendary chanson singer. The social snobbery of Nestroy’s characters is thoroughly shaken by the unmistakable style of Knef’s songs. After social advancement comes the threat of downfall: From then on, it was all downhill!

Duration: 1 hour 35 minutes, no intermission