Der zerbrochne Krug | Lustspiel von Heinrich von Kleist

Village judge Adam looks in a bad way when his court clerk Licht visits him in the morning. Two wounds on his head, an injury on his leg - where did he get them? The judge is eloquent in explaining the origin of his wounds. So be it. Licht has bad news. Judge Walter is on his way to their community to inspect the coffers and improve the administration of justice in the countryside. His stern reputation precedes him. Elsewhere, he has already had many a sloppy judge suspended. Today, of all days, Judge Adam can't find his wig. And last night he was tormented by a dream that he had to sit in judgment of himself. He would prefer to avoid court today. But Councillor Walter has already arrived and the plaintiffs are already arguing loudly in the anteroom.

Mrs. Marthe Rull files a complaint. A jug in her daughter Eve's room has been smashed. At night, a man sneaked into Eve's room and broke the jug as he fled out of the window. For Marthe Rull, the case is clear: it was Ruprecht, her daughter's fiancé, who wanted to taste the sweet fruits of love before the marriage. Ruprecht, however, is furious, denies the crime and accuses Eve of letting a strange man into her room. The young woman begs her fiancé to trust her. And Marthe Rull rants and rails like a reed sparrow. This hullabaloo really needs a firm judicial hand. But Judge Adam is clearly uncomfortable with the trial. He asks strange questions and draws absurd conclusions. Judge Walter can't help but get the impression that this Adam is more interested in covering things up than finding out the secret of the broken jug. How it is finally revealed is a ludicrous spectacle.

Heinrich von Kleist's "The Broken Jug" from 1808 is a milestone in German theater history. The comedy revolutionized comedy in the early 19th century with its innovative structure, fast-paced dialogue and double-entendre wit. Kleist's play uniquely combines tragic themes such as the abuse of power and loss of trust in public institutions with witty language and popular humor. From 1820, "The Broken Jug" took the theater stages by storm. Today, the comedy about the village magistrate Adam, who has to sit in judgment over his own misdeeds, is one of the most frequently performed plays in the German-speaking world and is a theatrical event on stage with its quirky characters drawn with hearty strokes.