Berlin Stories

Berlin Stories

22. Troupe31 and Local Groups

Lessons of the 'Troupe 1931' Theater Ensemble

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Topper Sherwood
Nov 13, 2023
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“Von morgens bis mitternachts,” 1920 film directed by Karlheinz Martin.

Another aspect of our successful labor was the way in which we worked with local groups, people who were so hungry for more information about our work they often asked us to stay after the performance to discuss it. We easily agreed to this.

In “The Mousetrap,” as I’ve said, our principal goal was to cast light upon the hard labor conditions faced by thousands of employees and workers on the job. One memorable show we played before other actors, all members of the German Stageworkers Collective. They practically filled the audience that night and, of course, raised serious and fundamental issues in the discussion afterward, with people talking about their own situations and the work in Germany’s theater and film industry. You can imagine how those evenings left a lasting impression on us, filled, as they were, with our own peers and their organizational debates.

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