• Fr, 10. Feb 10:00
• Sa, 11. Feb 18:00

Idea
Hanni Westphal, Martina Kolbinger-Reiner

Concept
Hanni Westphal, Martina Kolbinger-Reiner

Directed by
Martina Kolbinger-Reiner

Music
DJ Mazze

Set design
Christina Weber

Costumes
Corinna Schuster

Lighting
Tom Bergner

Regieassistenz
Natascha Grasser

Cast
Christine Scherzer
Matthias Ohner
Hanni Westphal

Ralf

Mezzanin Theater

Graz/AT

Mother: Write down “war”. Now think about it; is it pronounced with a dark or a bright vowel?
Ralf: Dark?
Mother: Yes, war is dark. And is it pronounced with a long or a short vowel?
Ralf: Long?
Mother: Yes, of course. War is always long! Now write down “war” ten times.
Ralf: War, war, war, w...hat about the new computer game I wanted?

The theatre production “Ralf” juxtaposes the modern, abstract way of teaching about war and violence with the true story of Ralf Westphal, a war child born in 1933. In a series of interviews, Westphal talked about his experiences. His story is a story of fighting for survival in times of war; of growing up and being educated in a military orphanage; of losing one’s family and reuniting with one’s grandparents; of being hungry and stealing potatoes; of fleeing and dying and finally arriving at a peaceful place.

„Bewegend, herzlich, schlicht ein Theatererlebnis.“
[Kronen Zeitung, 2011]

„Für das Mezzanin Theater Projekt hat Hanni Westphal ihren Vater Ralf erzählen lassen. So entsteht ein dichter Schicksalsbericht,"Ralf"ist keine Nazi- sondern eine Kriegsgeschichte, die glaubhaft vom Unglaublichen
erzählt.“ [Falter, 2011]