
The Weavers (Die Weber)
by Gerhart Hauptmann
Gerhart Hauptmann’s “The Weavers” made its public debut at the Deutsches Theater Berlin in 1894. Written in Silesian dialect, the play centres around the Weavers’ Revolt of 1844. The arrival of mechanical looms and cheap, imported cotton had already resulted in falling incomes and rising unemployment. Now the manufacturer Dreissiger and his manager Pfeiffer plan to drive down wages even more, triggering a groundbreaking workers’ uprising. The Weavers’ Revolt is more an act of self-defence, almost a force of nature, than a revolutionary act. Hunger drives the workers to fight back; their despair makes them resort to violence. They plunder Dreissiger’s villa, drive out its residents and take to the streets in protest. Eventually the military is called in, shots are fired, and the uprising violently put down. In the play’s closing moments, Old Hilse -- a weaver who played no part in the revolt and condemned the rioting on religious grounds -- is killed by a stray bullet.
Director Michael Thalheimer
Set Olaf Altmann
Costumes Michaela Barth
Music Bert Wrede
Dramaturgy Sonja Anders
Premiere January 20, 2011
Peter MoltzenBecker

Norman HackerMoritz Jaeger

Harald BaumgartnerOld Baumert

Katrin WichmannMother Baumert / Luise, Gottlieb Hilse’s wife

Claudia EisingerBertha Baumert / Mielchen, Gottlieb Hilse’s daughter

Michael GerberOld Ansorge

Gabriele HeinzMrs. Heinrich / Mother Hilse

Jürgen HuthDer alte Hilse

Christoph FrankenGottlieb Hilse, Old Hilse’s son / Kutsche, policeman

Elias ArensReimann

Markus GrafHeiber

Ingo HülsmannDreissiger, fustian manufacturer
Isabel SchosnigMrs. Dreissiger

Moritz GrovePfeifer, manager in Dreissiger’s employment/ a Traveller

Horst LebinskyPastor Kittelhaus

Bernd StempelHeide, police superintendent / Welzel, publican

Paul SchröderHornig, rag dealer

Michael SchweighöferWittig, smith

Friedrich Fuchs / Maurice Milckea child
Becker
Moritz Jaeger
Old Baumert
Mother Baumert / Luise, Gottlieb Hilse’s wife
Bertha Baumert / Mielchen, Gottlieb Hilse’s daughter
Old Ansorge
Mrs. Heinrich / Mother Hilse
Der alte Hilse
Gottlieb Hilse, Old Hilse’s son / Kutsche, policeman
Reimann
Heiber
Dreissiger, fustian manufacturer
Mrs. Dreissiger
Pfeifer, manager in Dreissiger’s employment/ a Traveller
Pastor Kittelhaus
Heide, police superintendent / Welzel, publican
Hornig, rag dealer
Wittig, smith
Friedrich Fuchs / Maurice Milcke
a child