Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm

It is one of the most famous ideas to have originated in Frankfurt am Main, known and passionately discussed worldwide: the collection of short stories written and illustrated by the physician Heinrich Hoffmann in the mid-19th century entitled “Struwwelpeter” (or “Shock-Headed Peter” to English-language audiences), featuring the violent and humorous adventures of Fidgety Philipp, Little Paula, Johnny Look-In-the-Air, Konrad the Thumb-Sucker… Even today, and not only in teacher training courses, there are heated discussions about the author’s pedagogical methods and the intentions. Still, the entertaining stories about ignorance, disobedience, instruction and punishment are highly popular, as evidenced by numerous adaptations and parodies. Together with the Duo Infernale (Michael Quast and Sabine Fischmann) of the Volksbühne, Ensemble Modern takes a fresh look at the material and its miniatures. Ensemble Modern members Uwe Dierksen, Christian Hommel and Hermann Kretzschmar wrote their own, philosophical and bizarre pieces, to be performed by their own ensemble as well as the Duo Infernale (Michael Quast and Sabine Fischmann) of the Volksbühne.