NIKOLAI KUCHIN

STAGE DESIGN AND SCENOGRAPHY

THE SHAPE OF THINGS

(Das Maß der Dinge)
A play by Neil LaBute
Translated by Jakob Kraut
Theater Chemnitz
2020

Adam works in a museum. One day, the beautiful art student Evelyn stands behind the barrier to a  statue depicting a male nude. Adam tries to convince Evelyn to step in front of the barrier again. Discussion turns into flirtation, flirtation into a relationship. Adam changes: driven by Evelyn, he suddenly pays attention to diet, clothes, sport and develops into a man that women notice. But Evelyn has her own plans for Adam, and in the end, she leaves not only him speechless.

For this story, which can be viewed as a parable, a correspondingly abstract space forms the set. A podium, consising of ten movable panels, transforms with the story, hinting at various locations of the play rather then depicting them. The various configurations of the stage suggest closed vs open rooms, and together create a rich ,playground’ for the characters.
With Maja Grahnert, Lisa Mattiuzzo, Gabriel Tauber, Morris Weckherlin
Directed by Ulrike Euen
Dramaturgy by René Rainer Schmidt
Costume Design by Tina Hübner
Photo Credits Artgenossen.tv, Tina Hübner

With gratitude to Norman Heinrich and Frank Hänig