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The bitter tears of Petra von Kant (2014)

2014 – The bitter tears of Petra von Kant


National Theatre

Petra von Kant, a successful fashion designer who has recently separated from her husband, falls in love with Karin, a young woman who becomes both her lover and her model. Abandoning everyone around her, Petra invests everything in a relationship which is unequal, since Karin does not have such strong feelings for her. Once she has embarked on a successful career, Karin soon abandons Petra and returns to her husband. This comes as a great shock to Petra. Yet the experience will give her the opportunity to rethink her views on love and the people who surround her.

This play by the great German writer and director Rainer Werner Fassbinder examines female relationships through the story of an ambitious, selfish woman whose world collapses around her.

Director’s note:

Why such a successful and powerful woman as Petra von Kant cries with “Bitter tears”?
Why must she constantly prove her value in a male world?
Why must she learn what it means equality, communication in relationships, distribution of power?
Why she cannot shake off her bourgeoisie chains and make revolution? Did this happen because the demands for the emancipation of women degenerated? Did this happen because σhe left the beautiful opportunist Karin, the object of desire? Is love a transaction case this time? The apartment of Petra Von Kant looks like a colorful charming trap reflecting a male dominated society and women's outfits from that society.

According to Fassbinder the powerful exploits the weak and "Love is colder than death."

I followed Fassbinder until I found him dead at 37, resting in bed and hugging his future scenarios. The problem is not my homosexuality, he said, "but the inability to love each other."
A. Brouskou.

 

 

Giorgos Depastas : Translation

Angela Brouskou : Direction and costumes

Stavros Litinas: Set

Nalyssa Green: Music

Nikos Vlassopoulos : Lighting

Christina Papadopoulou : Assistant director

Starring: Kariofylia Karabeti, Parthenopi Bouzouri, Angela Brouskou, Gioulika Skafida, Konstantina Angelopoulou, Rika Dialyna

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