Ernst Alisch

The brightest comet in 400 years is racing across Europe's firmament - and amateur astronomer Kranich has discovered it. "Comets" is his story - and that of a few other people in a small town somewhere in Europe: a lonely teenage girl who puts her young life in danger on her birthday... Her father, whose fear of unemployment triggers a drastic reaction... An elderly gentleman with Alzheimer's who courts the same elegant lady every day.

The production by Calixto Bieito extracts all the potential from this work in a most convincing and spine-chilling way. The action takes place in a closed society of the 1950s, taking this story of witchcraft, sex and religion to the realism of imitation leather sofas, crochet cardigans, medical abuse and child molestation.

Private eye Dold, a specialist in surveillance tasks, is sent to investigate a Frankfurt bordello boss. He's a pain in the butt for many in the red-light district and is to be overthrown to pave the way for financially strong speculators to lucratively redevelop the area. Dold, who always saw his work as morally justified, comes to doubt the rightness of his actions far too late.

Vocal soloist Pauline is caught between a rock and a hard place. While her career is finally taking off and she should be putting all her energy into her profession, her private life is becoming increasingly chaotic. Two men, both charming and loving: no wonder Pauline can't decide between the concert critic Georg and the successful doctor Klaus.