"Mark Twain - Greetings from the Afterlife"

A musical solo programme based on lesser-known texts by Mark Twain. Piano and harmonium: Ulrich Tukur - text adaptation and direction: Wolfgang Stockmann. A conversation with Joachim Lux follows the performance.

Mark Twain's "American dream" of social ascent came about, paradoxically, through his sharp critique of the "American Way of Life", of slavery and racism - and of course through the creation of two figures of global stature: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Since his death in 1910, Mark Twain - so the premise of the evening goes - has been restlessly roaming the galaxies of the universe. His spirit merges with the very earthly Ulrich Tukur, travels with him through cities, and leaves surprising greetings from the afterlife. Twain's humour is accompanied by the popular music of his era: ragtime, a fusion of European march music with Black American music - an early form of jazz.

Ulrich Tukur on Twain: "He had a very good heart and was a very, very sharp observer of human nature. He is always funny, always irreverent, always a humanist. Today's America could use someone like him."

Afterwards, Ulrich Tukur and Joachim Lux talk about Mark Twain and America - but above all about their shared beginnings in the theatre world, 45 years ago.