Exploring the Thrill of Challenging Conventions: Insights from Josephine Witt on Embracing Provocation

Exploring the Thrill of Challenging Conventions: Insights from Josephine Witt on Embracing Provocation

In an intriguing exploration of Germany's self-description and its connection to the seasons or landscape, playwright Josephine Witt is set to premiere her latest work, "dtschlnd, deine jahreszeiten," at the Deutsches Theater. The play, which forms the centrepiece of the ATT festival's Long Night of Playwrights, promises a thought-provoking journey that delves deep into the heart of Germany's socio-political realities.

Witt, who is currently a writer-in-residence at the Deutsches Theater, brings a wealth of experience to the table. Having studied directing at HFS-Ernst Busch and directed at the Volksbühne's P14 youth theatre programme, Witt's artistic process is heavily influenced by radical climate change and human alienation from nature.

The play is a mother-daughter road trip through Germany, personifying Mother Nature and her daughter as they traverse the seasons. This structure allows Witt to examine how the experience of nature is becoming ever more divorced from our culturally conditioned expectations.

"dtschlnd, deine jahreszeiten" is not just a critique of Germany's relationship with nature, but also a commentary on the oligarchisation of politics and the rise of ultra-nationalism. The abortion ban is just a small part of the issues Witt addresses in her piece.

Witt's great-aunt, who looked after her when she was a child, often sang seasonally specific folk songs. This early exposure to the rhythm of the seasons inspired Witt to delve deeper into the idea, linking the fate of the planet to the fate of women and urging them to question their perspectives within the current political climate.

The performance, which will be in German, is set to take place at Deutsches Theater, Schumannstraße 13A, Mitte. Details can be found online. Witt describes the continuity between her work in politics and playwriting as "the joy of provocation."

Witt's earlier life included staging protests as part of the popular feminist activist movement Femen. This background undoubtedly informs her bold and challenging approach to storytelling.

In a powerful metaphor, the Deutsches Theater itself is imagined in ruins, symbolizing not a catastrophe but a promise of return to nature—a forest growing from the ruins where roots spread between audience seats. This metaphor critiques the nation’s relationship with its history, land, and future, questioning the supposed naturalness of political and social orders.

"dtschlnd, deine jahreszeiten" critically challenges and questions the concept of the “natural” by portraying Germany as a dynamic and contested space where nature, politics, and identity intersect and provoke new ways of thinking about belonging and change. It is a must-see for anyone interested in thought-provoking theatre that tackles pressing social and political issues.

1. Josephine Witt, with her background in directing at HFS-Ernst Busch and experience at the Volksbühne's P14 youth theatre programme, explores germane topics in her latest play, "dtschlnd, deine jahreszeiten."
2. Witt's play, premiering at the Deutsches Theater, is a mother-daughter road trip through Germany that personifies Mother Nature and her daughter, exploring the dissociation between nature and culturally conditioned expectations.
3. The play delves into Germany's relationship with nature, politics, and identity, questioning the supposed naturalness of political and social orders.
4. Witt's piece is not just a critique of Germany's relationship with nature, but also touches upon the oligarchisation of politics and the rise of ultra-nationalism.
5. The abortion ban is one issue among many addressed in Witt's play, which forms the centrepiece of the ATT festival's Long Night of Playwrights.
6. Witt's great-aunt, who looked after her when she was a child, inspired her with seasonally specific folk songs, leading her to delve deeper into the idea of linking the fate of the planet to the fate of women.
7. The performance, set to take place at Deutsches Theater, Schumannstraße 13A, Mitte, is a thought-provoking journey that promises to challenge and question the concept of the “natural.”
8. Details about the performance can be found online, and Witt describes the continuity between her work in politics and playwriting as "the joy of provocation."
9. Witt's earlier life included staging protests as part of the popular feminist activist movement Femen, which undoubtedly informs her bold and challenging approach to storytelling.
10. In a powerful metaphor, the Deutsches Theater itself is imagined in ruins, symbolizing not a catastrophe but a promise of return to nature—a forest growing from the ruins where roots spread between audience seats.
11. This metaphor critiques the nation’s relationship with its history, land, and future, questioning the supposed naturalness of political and social orders.
12. The play is a must-see for anyone interested in thought-provoking theatre that tackles pressing social and political issues.
13. Aside from theatre, Witt's interests span across various genres, including fashion-and-beauty, books, and personal-growth.
14. She advocates for lifelong-learning and skills-training, believing in the importance of continuous learning and self-improvement.
15. Witt also follows general-news and policy-and-legislation to stay informed about current events and changes.
16. In her pursuit of knowledge, she is an avid reader and often discusses her favorite books, especially those in the sci-fi-and-fantasy genre.
17. Her love for literature extending to non-fiction titles in the education-and-self-development and mindfulness categories.
18. Witt is passionate about mental well-being and practices mindfulness daily, finding it essential for her personal-growth and artistic process.
19. She is also active on social-media platforms, engaging with her followers and promoting discussions about various topics, such as personal-growth, mindfulness, and politics.
20. Witt often shares her thoughts on social-media platforms, expressing her opinions on war-and-conflicts, human rights, and climate change.
21. One of her interests outside of theatre and literature is sports, particularly football, where she supports champions-league teams like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
22. Apart from football, she enjoys watching basketball, tennis, and other European leagues like the Premier League, Serie A, and Laliga.
23. In addition, she keeps up with American sports like NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and NASCAR.
24. Witt also acknowledges the role of accidents, fires, and other unexpected events in shaping societies and communities.
25. Despite the challenges faced in her career-development and job-search, she has remained determined and persistent, often setting goals and following through with her lifelong-learning strategy.
26. Witt's passion for learning, personal-growth, and social justice extends to online-education platforms, where she actively engages in courses about policy-and-legislation, politics, and other relevant topics.
27. She believes that online-education can help bridge the gap between knowledge and action, empowering individuals to take an active role in pushing for change and promoting social justice.
28. Aside from her interest in policy-and-legislation, Witt also follows crime-and-justice news, believing that understanding the complexities of the justice system is crucial for shaping informed perspectives and advocating for change.
29. Witt encourages others to embrace learning, goal-setting, and lifelong-learning, advocating for ongoing personal growth and the betterment of society as a whole.

Read also: