Mark Twain - Greetings from the Afterlife

A solo musical programme featuring lesser-known texts by Mark Twain.

Piano and harmonium: Ulrich Tukur - text adaptation and direction: Wolfgang Stockmann. Followed by a conversation with Joachim Lux.

Mark Twain's American dream - his social ascent - occurred paradoxically through sharp criticism of the "American Way of Life", slavery, and racism. And of course through the creation of two figures of world renown: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Since his death in 1910, the spirit of Mark Twain - once world-famous through "Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn" - has been restlessly journeying through the galaxies of the universe. Leaving behind the gates of paradise and heaven, his spirit merges with the very earthly Ulrich Tukur and travels with him through cities, telling people of his adventures and sending surprising greetings from the afterlife. Mark Twain's humour is accompanied by the popular music of his era: ragtime, a fusion of European military music with African-American music - a precursor to jazz.

Ulrich Tukur: "Mark Twain was modern then and remains so today. He had a very good heart and was a very, very sharp observer of human nature. I believe he was a wonderful person. He is always funny, always irreverent, always a humanist. Today's America could use someone like him."

Ulrich Tukur - once meteoric in his rise through collaboration with director Peter Zadek - is one of Germany's most renowned actors, through numerous films and television work alike. Previously engaged at the Hamburg Schauspielhaus, he has long collaborated with the St. Pauli Theatre.

After the performance, things become very personal: Ulrich Tukur and Joachim Lux discuss Mark Twain and America, but more importantly - a surprise - they reminisce about their shared, formative early days in the theatre world. They look forward to their reunion in Hamburg: 45 years later.