Venice in the Snow - Premiere

A French comedy and social satire full of wit and energy by Gilles Dyrek.
Director: Petra Wintersteller

Natalie and Jean-Luc are planning their wedding while renovating their old Parisian apartment. That evening they are expecting Christophe and his girlfriend Patricia, whom they have never met. Patricia, however, has no desire to spend an evening with strangers. The couple argue fiercely on the way over. In a fit of anger, Patricia decides not to say a single word all night - which leads the hosts to assume she is a foreigner. They feel sorry for her and try to make her feel welcome. Once Patricia realises the misunderstanding, she decides to have some fun: she starts speaking in a made-up language and invents a homeland called Chouwenia. Christophe wants to sink through the floor in embarrassment, while Patricia revels in the absurdity - and the evening for four unfolds in a way nobody could have predicted...

Relationship comedy or social satire? Both. Plays like "Venice in the Snow" have been called therapy sessions, because it is the entire affluent society that ends up on the couch. In this turbulent yet surprisingly thoughtful comedy, audiences get to recognise themselves, laugh freely - and perhaps think twice.

The director on the play: "Venice in the Snow won me over immediately - because it starts with a small misunderstanding and lets a gloriously large chaos grow from it. I love plays that show how quickly we get tangled up in our own assumptions - while being absolutely convinced we are in the right. What draws me most is how finely the humour is crafted: a glance, a pause, a misheard word - and the evening takes an unexpected turn. That is the charm of this comedy. I look forward to discovering these surprisingly human moments together with the ensemble. Because maybe we will all recognise ourselves a little."