Was geschieht, wenn man Jeanne D’Arc, Amelia Earhart und Gertrude Stein mit vier weiteren berühmten Frauen in einen Raum bringt? Die Frage mag absurd klingen – die Antwort wirkt es zunächst auch. Denn in Arthur Kopits Stück Chamber Music befindet sich besagter Raum in einer Nervenheilanstalt– und ob die Frau in der Rüstung („das Kreuz war mit dabei!“) dann wirklich Jeanne D’Arc ist, darf wohl bezweifelt werden. Zweifelhaft ist aber auch die Institution, die die Frauen zusammenbringt, und zulässt, vielleicht sogar forciert, dass sie sich immer tiefer in eine gewähnte tödliche Gefahr hineinsteigern – bis zur fatalen Eskalation. Die Absurdität der Situation verleiht dem Stück dabei sowohl Witz als auch Tragik; wer hier am Ende verrückt ist, bleibt offen.

Auch Nobelpreisträger Harold Pinter deckt in The Dumb Waiter schonungslos die Absurdität menschlicher Kommunikation auf – ob zwischen den Protagonisten oder seitens des Unbekannten, der ihnen von abseits der Bühne scheinbar sinnlose Nachrichten sendet. Die Handlung des Stücks, das seine Uraufführung in Frankfurt hatte, ist einfach erklärt: Zwei Auftragskiller warten auf ihr nächstes Opfer. Doch das Warten zieht sich hin und die Spannung im Raum wird beinahe greifbar. Der Auftraggeber ist der ungesehene Dritte – der Einzige, der die Macht hat, die Spannung aufzulösen und es dann auf gänzlich unerwartete Weise tut.

Mit den beiden Einaktern meldet sich die Chaincourt Theatre Company auf ihrer Heimatbühne an der Goethe-Universität zurück. Die seit den fünfziger Jahren bestehende Theatergruppe des Instituts für England- und Amerikastudien musste zuletzt aufgrund der Covid-19-Pandemie pausieren. Inszeniert werden die Stücke vom langjährigen künstlerischen Direktors James Fisk, Dozent in der Amerikanistik. Die Hauptrollen auf und hinter der Bühne übernehmen Studierende des Fachbereichs. Beide Werke werden in der Originalsprache Englisch aufgeführt.

Chamber Music

The Dumb Waiter

Cast & Crew

Emma: Woman Who Plays Records (Chamber Music) + Costumes

Emma, a first semester with no musical talent, yet somehow she is the only one singing, when she is not sewing costumes that is.

Maike: Woman With Gavel (Chamber Music)

Originally from a small town close to Munich, Maike moved to Frankfurt to study Computer Sciences. She was interested in the performing arts from a young age and was a member of multiple orchestras and choirs. She started acting in high school and joined a student theatre group in Würzburg. Chamber Music is her first play as a cast member of The Chaincourt Theatre Company.

Marie: Woman In Safari Outfit (Chamber Music)

Marie has been acting „on stage“ ever since she was old enough to walk, every table was good enough to put on a show. All the way through her school career she had annual performances, but now it’s been 8 Semesters since the last one. Can she do it? Does she still have what it takes? Only one way to find out …

Marisa: Woman With Notebook (Chamber Music)

Marisa started her on-stage performances through ballet at the age of four. Later, she joined her school's theater classes and took part in a theater workshop with a theater teacher from The English Theatre Frankfurt. She is now very excited to be part of the Chamber Music performance of the Chaincourt Theatre Company.

Lucija: Girl In Gossamer Dress (Chamber Music)

Commonly referred to as a “drama queen” by friends and family, Lucija finally decided to give the acting thing a try. However, her unusual habit of incorporating the word “slay” into almost every sentence has been seriously affecting her ability to deliver lines correctly. A big fan of musicals, she often bursts out into song as she never fails to relate the unrelated; thus, becoming a great source of entertainment for her friends with relatively little effort.

Rachel: Woman In Queenly Spanish Garb (Chamber Music)

Rachel is a non-professional acting enthusiast and attended her high school acting classes for around three years. She is currently enrolled at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. In her free time, her interests involve everything vintage and Jazz due to her fascination with old movies. Her enthusiasm for film in general is expanded further into the area of East Asian films.

Rebekka: Woman In Armor (Chamber Music)

Since this (hopefully) is Rebekka's last semester at Goethe University, she is busy with finishing her last term paper, reading the final books for the Selbstständige Lektüre module, and getting started with organising and writing her bachelor thesis while also working on creative projects such as illustrating a picture book.

Unice: Woman In Aviatrix's Outfit (Chamber Music)

Unice is a BA English studies student. They have always loved theatre and started acting in high school. Since then, they have lent their support to student theatre companies in Tübingen and Cardiff. Amelia Earhart is their first role with The Chaincourt Theatre Company.

Buddy: Assistant (Chamber Music)

Buddy is actually not studying at the Goethe University. He just likes to try out new things every now and then. Acting in our group is one of those things. He's the kinda guy that gets bored quickly but really likes to be part of something. One thing he never got bored of though is video games. He enjoys the art within them and finds the virtual experiences humans create inspiring. That's why he's studying computer science at the UAS Frankfurt. In the hope of inspiring others one day.

Johannes: Man In White (Chamber Music)

At 22 years old and in his 4th semester, Johannes has not acted a lot in his life, but is a huge fan of film and television. He is also very passionate about music, volleyball and cooking.

Roberta: Ben (The Dumb Waiter)

Roberta’s greatest acting achievement is being told she looks like Audrey Hepburn which she now mentions every chance she gets. Her biggest dream is to play Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, but her biggest qualification for the role is her rather large nose. However, she’s quite full of herself and in her head she’s an amazing singer and actress, and indeed the greatest star whom no one knows of… for now.

Serafim: Gus (The Dumb Waiter)

Serafim, son of two professional musicians who met in the Seversk Music Theatre orchestra pit, was thusly predetermined to live a life with a passion for theatre. After moving to Frankfurt for his studies he joined the Goethe-University’s own Chaincourt Theatre Company. He has taken part in previous company productions such as Machinal in 2019, participated in two online projects during the COVID pandemic, and is rejoining the company for this semester’s great reintroduction to the public.

James Fisk: Director

James Fisk received his theatre training from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada and the Drama Studio London in Berkeley, California. As an actor, he has worked for the Magic Theatre and the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival as well the Riverside Shakespeare Company in New York City and the Mercury Theatre in Toronto, Canada. In New York, he also directed for the Swiss Institute. James’s directing credits for Chaincourt include As You Like It, The Graduate, and Machinal.

Dorothee: Communication + Management

Doro’s interest in theatre emerged at an early age: She was an actor for the theatre group in her hometown before shifting her focus on production work at the age of 13. At university, she has been a member of The Chaincourt Theatre Company for several semesters. As such, Doro has worked as the stage manager and rehearsal assistant for two original musical renditions, Tone Death and College Collage, and for the plays The Scarecrow and Machinal.

Renée: Costumes

Renée enjoys, sewing, reading, dancing and writing. She is never far away from her headphones and can't survive without music.

Anna-Maria: Set + Props

All Anna-Maria has ever wanted to do is create stories, or help others bring them to life. For her, joining The Chaincourt Theatre Company is just one of the many ways to do that

Aminata: Set + Tech

Aminata is a passionate lover of the fine arts, and has been doing all sorts of stage activity throughout her childhood and teenager years. And although she feels constantly overworked and underprepared, she somehow once again got roped into doing theater work. For the first time however, she is working behind the scenes instead of on stage. The goal for the future is: to escape the clutches that performance art has on her (but she will probably not be very successful).

Dinah: Set + Props

Dinah, a member of the production team and currently trying to deal with the typical things 20-year-old students have to deal with: surviving the academic world.

Isabel: Stage + Props

Isabel studies American Studies here at Goethe University. With a special interest in English literature, she has been enjoying theater for a long time, but only ever as part of the audience. Now is her first time joining a play on the other side as a member of the production team. She is curious and excited to gain new experiences outside her usual comfort zone.

Michail: Tech

Tetiana: Set + Props