Students to ‘undertake’ black comedy . . . in German

The recently deceased Novel Prize winner Wolfgang Schwitter seems to have returned to his studio. Not surprisingly, he creates no small amount of mayhem in Swiss playwright Friedrich Duerrenmatt’s “Der Meteor,” to be produced in its original language of German by drama students at UW–Madison.

A plot synopsis is available on the German department’s web site.

Directors Sabine Gross, associate professor of German and Angelika Czekay, a Ph.D. candidate in the UW–Madison Department of Theatre and Drama, say this production will emphasize stage illusion and audience participation.

Gross says producing the play allows students on all levels to work on a project together while perfecting language skills and gaining insight into the culture of a specific place and time as revealed through literature. Gross says audiences will find knowledge of German helpful but not essential, since a plot synopsis in English will be available at the door or by visiting http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/german/DerMeteor/summary.htm.

Performances will be held April 12-14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Fredric March Play Circle. They are free and open to the public, but advance reservations are required. For tickets, contact the UW–Madison Department of German, (608) 262-2192.