Prinsessendrama’s van Elfriede Jelinek

Oh, the hypocrisy of society makes me extremely angry. I want a good sense of humour and a sharp mind and I need to be good natured, I don’t go to bed with a woman after only two days. First I look at her closely, and then again and again and then better and better still. And then I don’t need to anymore. I leave it at that. Is that part of a human being I see there? Is it a picture of a person? Is it a person from a picture. Yes, that is a person from the pictures. Of course I know that person! No, I don’t after all. No, I’m not going anyway, I’m not going, I’m not going! No, I’ll go nonetheless. Yes, yes, I’m going! [from Rosamunde by Jelinek]

The Princess plays by Nobel Prize winner Jelinek consist of five parts: Death and the maiden I – V Dood Paard will enact 3 of these parts. Snow White, Cinderella and Jackie Three women, Three princesses. Three icons from western history. Jelinek gives them a voice. So they can tell of their destiny. Reflect on their tragedy.   

In her matchless style, Jelinek acquaints us with the dark, humorous and absurd thinking of these women. Her sentences twist in the same way our thoughts do. Her associative manner of writing is exciting. Her sharp vision and precise dissection of man appeals to us.   

A dream. A trip. A hallucination.