Hairkunft

„Quast is never about distance, but about taking things radically seriously, which in turn can give rise to a humour all of its own. That's what makes his work so special." Patrick Wildermann, Tagesspiegel, 17.10.2024

Theatre maker Hendrik Quast deals with a topic at the boundaries of social taboo zones when he uses his recent hair transplant to establish a connection between hair loss and class advancement in ‘Hairkunft’. However, the operation as an art project seemed to be a necessary measure of deficit management, as he knows that a full mane corresponds to current standards of attractiveness and can therefore be a prerequisite for a change of class. But does he have the means and opportunity to secure his hard-earned middle-class (hair) status as a working-class child in the long term thanks to his not entirely bloodless newly acquired fullness of hair? Can hereditary hair loss even be treated permanently? And what happens when the chronically ill body rejects the new hair? In an evening based on stand-up formats, Quast precisely and comically combines elements from the mane musical film ‘The Lion King’ with live singing, body art and crowdworking to take us on his class journey up close and personal. Peppered with painfully funny moments of embarrassment, ‘Hairkunft’ questions the price of class advancement, redistributes its costs to the taxpayers and owes nothing to anyone.

Tickets Hairkunft | Do. 19. Juni, 21:00

Tickets Hairkunft | Fr. 20. Juni, 19:00

Tickets Hairkunft | Sa. 21. Juni, 21:00
On 21 June, the screening will be followed by a discussion (in German).

Text, performance, concept, direction: Hendrik Quast
Costume, hair: Christina Neuss
Sound design: Toben Piel
Artistic collaboration, video: Michel Wagenschütz
Stage: Jonas Maria Droste
Lighting design: Maika Knoblich
Dramaturgy: Florian Fischer
Consultancy Text: Daniela Plügge
Transplantation: Bahar Akcay, Dr Christian Roessing
PR: Augustin PR
Technical direction: Hendrik Borowski
Production assistance: Maret Zeino-Mahmalat
Production: Lisa Gehring

A production by Hendrik Quast in co-production with Sophiensæle, Berlin, Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm, Frankfurt am Main, Forum Freies Theater Düsseldorf, Kampnagel, Hamburg and Theater RAMPE, Stuttgart. Supported by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion of the State of Berlin and by the Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.