In Schiller's famous Sturm und Drang drama, two brothers choose a life beyond the law: one as a robber chief, the other as a brother and father killer. Terror against the state versus terror against one's own family. A drama of forged letters, hurt feelings and misguided protests. In the end: a drama of the inability to forgive. Karl, the rebel, and Franz, the ducked canaille: both are outlaws who drag everything around them into the abyss. Unbridled individualism and the idealistic desire for a more equal, more social world collide.

The story tells of the emergence of a radical movement - which, however, loses its goal. Are the robbers rousing rebels? Rather, they are hired killers and rude highwaymen in the underground. The tragedy that unites all rebels emerges: they miss the point of turning back. Schiller in a production from the perspective of prison theater - that is the search for the reasons why the search for happiness turns into catastrophe, why the desire for justice often enough leads to ruin.

An open-air production by aufBruch KUNST GEFÄNGNIS STADT in cooperation with the Kulturbiergarten Jungfernheide.

The play will be performed by a mixed ensemble of day-release prisoners, former prisoners, actors and Berlin citizens: Christian Krug, Frank T., Lauan A., Maria Stoecker-Baton, Massimiliano Baß, Matthias Blocher, Michael, Mohamad Koulaghassi, Moussa, Özcan, Para Kiala, Rosemarie Klinkhammer, Sadam, Steffen

Director Peter Atanassow Stage designer Holger Syrbe Costume designer Haemin Jung Dramaturgy Hans-Dieter Schütt, Franziska Kuhn Musical Coach Vsevolod Silkin Productionmanager Sibylle Arndt Assistant director Leah Abele Production Assistant Emily Krzok Costume assistant Sol Spies Bermudez Graphic design Dirk Trageser

Funded by a grant from the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion.
Supported by Kulturbiergarten Jungfernheide, JVA OV Berlin, JVA Plötzensee, Bezirksamt Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz