Theater - Franz Xaver Kroetz has not been going to the theater for 20 years
The actor and writer Franz Xaver Kroetz (78) stated that he has not gone to the theater for the past 20 years according to his own account. The stage had a taboo-breaking, liberating, and provocative effect on him under Nestroy, Ibsen, or Strindberg. "However, I do not represent the idea that theater is still socially relevant. That has been devoured by TikTok and the like.", he told the "Augsburger Allgemeine" (Saturday edition).
"Everyone has the freedom today. Anyone who masters it can intervene and speak up. The new media have absorbed all that, leaving the theater only a little room", Kroetz stated, who was presented as the new "Brandner Kaspar" by the Residenztheater.
"I've said I can imagine it, but I'll probably let it be", he now stated in the newspaper interview about the role. "That would be quite a mess! In other words: I'm getting old and close to death myself, so I'm not spending my remaining time waiting at rehearsals in a drab theater dressing room. But co-writing would be interesting!" However: "Who knows, maybe next year I should be pumperlgsund and bored to death, and the theater clears the way for me. As they say: Never say never."
He had success as a director and actor, and as a dramatist I have been played worldwide", he said. "What more do I want? - And he gave an answer himself: "Once the wish that I find a roofer for my hunting cabin. Then, that my operated artificial knee holds up. And, very important for me, that I can still tolerate drinking. Because I enjoy drinking passionately. I cannot be without half a bottle of red wine a day. And finally, that I continue to put myself daily at the typewriter to get something on paper."
Kroetz's comments about theater's relevance sparked conversations among the people of Bavaria. Despite his aversion to the modern stage, he was still appreciated for his contributions to German cinema and television, with films like "Rabbit Hunt" and "Das letzte Abendbrot" gaining international acclaim. In Munich, a city known for its rich cultural scene and the famous Residenztheater, some local theaters considered staging one of Kroetz's plays, hoping to capture the provocative spirit he embraced early in his career. Meanwhile, some younger artists on TikTok used his quotes as inspiration for their own content, demonstrating how even the most traditional art forms can resonate with contemporary audiences.
