GÖTTINGEN, Aug. 23, 2025
A society comedy hits the stage in Göttingen
Oscar Wilde’s “Lady Windermere’s Fan” gets a fresh interpretation at the Theater im Op.
The play “Lady Windermere’s Subject” is set to premiere in Göttingen’s Thop theater. This “moral painting of good society” brings a host of illustrious characters to the stage.
- Oscar Wilde’s “Lady Windermere’s Fan” is premiering as “Lady Windermere’s Subject.”
- The production shifts the play’s setting to a more recent period, influenced by British period dramas.
- Director Klaus Ingo Pißowotzki aims to highlight the hypocrisy within high society.
Director Klaus Ingo Pißowotzki confessed to being generally irritated by Oscar Wilde’s plays, yet he appreciates Wilde’s linguistic flair. Pißowotzki tackled the comedy “Lady Windermere’s Subject,” which delves into the lives of the prominent Windermeres in upscale London society.
The Windermeres’ marriage faces a critical test with the sudden arrival of a Mrs. Erlynne, sparking speculation about her connection to Lord Windermere.
Pißowotzki, working with director Alena Schepelmann, chose to relocate the play from its original late 19th-century setting (premiered in 1892). Their decision was influenced by John Galsworthy’s “The Forsyte Saga” and the television series “Upstairs, Downstairs,” which chronicled the Bellamy family’s life between 1903 and 1930.
Schepelmann cited the popular television series “Downton Abbey” as a key inspiration. This hit series depicts an aristocratic family and their staff in the early 20th century.
Pißowotzki intends to emphasize the “bizarre social and social comedy” and particularly highlight advanced friendliness, even hypocrisy, in Wilde’s work.
Schepelmann noted the challenge of authentically portraying British high society, emphasizing the need for actors to be well-trained in their mannerisms.
Last autumn, Pißowotzki selected the play for the THOP and assembled an ensemble of 15 actors. Schepelmann meticulously handled the stage design, including sourcing a specific secretary for the production.
The premiere is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 27, starting at 8:15 p.m. The performance is expected to last about two hours, including an intermission. More details are available at www.theater-im-op.de.
