Goldstück

A woman tries to break out of the cycle of domestic violence and financial dependence, confronted daily with bureaucratic hurdles and the loss of support services. Her adolescent child turns to right-wing ideologies and becomes radicalised online. Despite all the obstacles, the woman tries to fight her way out of isolation, constantly accompanied by an inactive chorus that alternately exudes exhaustion, indifference or contempt and is difficult to overcome in its sluggish mass … The new production by Theaterkollektiv Pièrre.Vers, directed by Christof Seeger-Zurmühlen and written by Verena Güntner, celebrated its world premiere in Chemnitz as part of the programme for the European Capital of Culture 2025 and could be seen immediately afterwards at asphalt. ‘Goldstück’ addresses misogyny, violence against women and femicides, which are so commonplace in Germany that they hardly get any public attention. At the same time, the production takes a look at how right-wing actors try to roll back democratic achievements such as equal rights for women and men because they see patriarchal structures under threat and utilise anti-feminist and anti-gender narratives in the process. How can this be countered? Telling one’s own story seems to be a way out: those who make it visible cannot disappear, according to the American feminist author Rebecca Solnit. In her essay Recollections of my Non-Existence, published in 2020, she writes that this is ‘rebellion. A revival, a takeover.’ Goldstück outlines one way to increase the chorus of humanity once again . . .

Following its successful four-part cycle “Historification” and its examination of Nazi crimes in Düsseldorf, the theatre collective Pièrre.Vers is now addressing events of right-wing violence and threats to democracy in Germany in its latest productions, for which it has received top funding from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, among others.

Verena Güntner, born in Ulm in 1978, studied acting and performed in theatre for many years. Her debut novel “Es bringen” was published in 2014. Her second novel “Power” was nominated for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize in 2020 and awarded the Schubart Literature Prize in 2021. As part of the feminist literary collective LIQUID CENTER, Verena Güntner published the collective novel “Wir kommen” (We Are Coming) in 2024 together with Elisabeth R. Hager and Julia Wolf. Güntner wrote “Goldstück” as a commissioned work für the Pièrre.Vers theatre collective; it is her debut as a playwright. She lives with her family in Berlin.

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What the press say:

‘The piece shows what experiences can lurk beyond the door.’ 
nachtkritik.de

‘Theatrically exaggerated and credibly brought across the ramp by convincing actors.’
NRZ

‘A dark evening, which the actors perform with great commitment and emphasis. ‘Goldstück’ brings an important topic into society that is still insufficiently recognised.’
Rheinische Post

‘Goldstück makes an impressive reference to gender-based violence in our society and its causes in patriarchal role models, which need to be stopped.’
theater:pur