Serving (Kebab to) Two Masters

Serving, as in serving food, not servant – an important distinction! Still, the characters in John von Düffel’s new version of Carlo Goldoni’s classic are modelled directly on figures of the commedia dell’arte and represent such a universally modern form of theatre that they are easily transplanted into our time – in the form of a serene summer comedy for an idyllic sylvan theatre.

Rosi, the daughter of a German restaurant owner, is to be married to mafia hero Federico Rasponi. When he is pronounced dead, a new groom must be found for the young woman – this time, it is Siegfried, the son of a lawyer. The preparations for the wedding are well underway when Turkish guest worker Kemal appears and reveals himself as a servant of Federico, announcing the imminent arrival of his master, who was presumed dead…

Ever-hungry Kemal serves two masters: Beatrice, Rasponi’s twin sister, who is disguised as her brother, and Florian Müller, dubbed “the hunk”. Kemal’s logic is that by working double duty he can also eat double! Like any good comedy the play is about mistaken identities, marriage, love, money and greed. In the end, everyone will be happy – but hungry.

John von Düffel was born in Göttingen in 1966 and grew up in Ireland, the USA and several small towns in Germany, among other places. He studied in Scotland and graduated in Freiburg im Breisgau. Since 1991 he has been working as a writer and dramaturg at theatres in Stendal, Oldenburg, Basel and Bonn as well as the Thalia Theater Hamburg; since 2009 he has been with the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He has published many novels, essays, plays, translations and adaptations.

Michael Moritz, born in Freiburg in 1968, studied acting at the Folkwang University in Essen. He has acted, directed and written for the Staatstheater Stuttgart, the Schauspielhaus Zürich and the Burgtheater Wien, where he has worked with directors such as Einar Schleef, Claus Peymann, Hans Neuenfels and Matthias Hartmann. His work focuses on physical theatre and modern forms of the commedia dell’arte.