The Infernal Comedy in Copenhagen
The story is about Jack Unterweger, the serial killer, the writer; the unloved child.
He murdered prostitutes and was sentenced to life in prison. In prison, he started to write poems, plays, and short stories, and eventually earned literary respect. Two Nobel laureates in literature (Günter Grass and Elfriede Jelinek) were campaigning for Unterweger's release because they believed that he was the proof that even the most repulsive people can be converted through art. His biography called Purgatory became a bestseller. Convinced that he was a changed man, he got released on parole. While he was invited to talk shows and other events, he still strangled and murdered prostitutes in Vienna, Graz, Prague, and Los Angeles. The FBI caught him after two years, and after being sentenced again he killed himself in his cell.
This play is meant to be his second biography, the real truth.
I have seen this very unique play in DR Koncerthuset in Copenhagen. To be fair, it's not just a play. It's a one-man play with opera and classical music, monologues, and two talented sopranos. The sopranos were Chen Reiss and Susanne Langbein. They pose as women from Jack Unterweger's life - his mother, victim, and muse. The orchestra was the Orchester Wiener Akademie, which is a beautiful connection since Jack is also Austrian. The orchestra played Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and Vivaldi. The conductor was Martin Haselböck.
Connecting is an art. The theater is one of the best places to keep connecting alive. I think acting works best when you are close to the actor. Subtle expressions on the face, the body, and sometimes there is a sudden change in the air. Your blood starts to freeze or boil; you breathe in the act.
You experience oneness with a story and people involved.
That's why theater still works, that's why people love being around creatives.
John Malkovich made himself disappear, and there was Jack Unterweger. John was gone, and all I could see was Jack. Jack is a frustrated, aggressive serial killer. His face was different, the air he carried was full of fear, insecurity, and passion. I doubt I can watch him in any movie or series in the near future. Right now, after the play, I just despise him but also respect his talent.
That man is brilliant.
The theater is wonderful.
The only thing that made this experience a bit uncomfortable is the fact, that actors still have to pay the rent. So the theater remains a business too. The venue sold tickets for people who were unable to see the whole play as it was meant to be seen. I was also missing pieces because the actors were not visible to the audience.
I was so far away I couldn't read the facial expressions on stage. Although I admit, I probably need glasses. That's on me, but you know theater works best when equality is present, and when the audience is more than a thousand then it's getting uncomfortable to feel one. Someone checking their phone, coughing, going out, murmur.
Reflecting on this piece, I wonder why people thought art could change anyone. I think Art is a tool. Unterweger must have been opportunistic, but I doubt he started writing to go out of prison. I feel sorry for all those women who had to die because some men believed that talent meant goodness. Writing might saved some parts of Unterweger's soul (if he had one), but putting someone's talent on the pedestal is killing others, literally.
I'm grateful to have the chance to see this play. Not just because it has a unique take and it is based on a true story, but being sensitive means feeling incredibly lonely. It's like being present in my own world and also checking in on this strange, busy, and sometimes detached world too. Play like The Infernal Comedy helps unite these two worlds for a while.
Thank you for supporting my escapism for that night!
The Witty Witch