The revue “Erika” about the Mann siblings at the Schauburg. – Munich

In the 1920s and 1930s, they were probably the coolest siblings in Europe, bisexual, homosexual, intellectual, politically clairvoyant and sharp-tongued in comedy: Erika and Klaus Mann, who died 54 and 74 years ago respectively, as the fictitious “Man Twins” – in fact, the poet’s children were born a year apart in 1905 and 1906 in Munich – played theater together, toured the world and wrote about it. Twins in spirit, even if one was more courageous than the other, who committed suicide at the age of 42.

Today they would certainly be successful on the internet as androgynous pop dandies, publishing their comments and reports as influencers on the various social media channels. Just as they used their descriptions “Travel Reports All Around. Adventures of a World Tour” (1929) and “The Book of the Riviera” (1931) to stylize their encounters and experiences, but above all themselves and their lifestyle, somewhere between fact and fiction. There are plenty of points of contact to use these siblings to address questions of fluid gender identity, coming out and self-determination.

“These somewhat loose, wide shirts that only narrow at the collar, plus ties and hats, we both like that,” Erika (Lucia Schierenbeck) and Klaus (Janosch Fries) quote the iconic look of the “Mann-Twins” right at the beginning in “Erik*a”, the multimedia revue in the Kleine Burg, directed by Daniel Pfluger and Lukas März. Where small children usually gather their first theatrical experiences in the Schauburg’s cosiest venue, only 30 premiere guests have now taken their seats on cushions and benches, accompanied by the 100-year-old “purple song”, the homosexual anthem “We are just different than the others”. Schierenbeck explains that there is a “safe space” here, and that “promises and derailments” are on offer for everyone “who is searching and has not yet decided”. The black and white tiles on the floor evoke the New York ballroom scene with its competitive mix of dance, drag and lip-syncing.

Fries and Schierenbeck also present themselves as queer performers, one in a glittery silver robe stumbling on high heels, one in a blue velvet tailcoat with a silver mustache and grabbing his crotch, the other stumbling down the theater catwalk. While Fries presents his lip-synched version of the song “You’re the Best Man I’ve Ever Known”, Schierenbeck rocks the song “I want it all”. Between these musical numbers, which Fries even garnishes with a virtuoso handstand rollover in high heels, the siblings reflect on their situation – in monologues and dialogues that are closely linked to a youthful world of experience, lyrically dense and poetically packed by the Munich author Theresa Seraphin, die zum Mann-Kosmos two years ago on behalf of Monacensia the lyric performance “Erika & Therese Gay Again” wrote.

Open detailed view

“In this house, in this apartment, in this, in my room, I can be anything. Here there is no male-female, weak-strong, tender-hard. Here I can change my identity as if it were a costume “, Schierenbeck begins her monologue as Erika. Words that “the most beautiful brother in the world”, as she calls him, later picks up and adds: “Nowhere else but in front of the screen, than on the stage, is there really room for me”.

The Safe Space has been expanded by exactly 35 spectators who can follow the performance online in real time. From time to time, their faces can be seen on a smartphone monitor when they turn on their cameras, and they can let confetti trickle over a button as applause. A premiere also for this form of presentation in the Schauburg, which is much more than filmed theatre: because the technology operates with several cameras, the actors film themselves again and again. This creates a two-part scenery on the screen at home, with intimate Close-ups at the dressing table, for example, and shots from the long shot. Even if the analogue theater experience is atmospherically denser and more immediate, it makes sense to open up this play to interested parties who either live further away – or would prefer to pursue the subject alone.

Drag queens and drag kings report on their queer everyday life in recorded videos

Enlightening things from queer everyday life are also offered. Videos are recorded, for example of Mäx from Munich, who appears as King Tenu, or Germany’s only baritone, Lucia Lucas, who, after coming out and gender equality, continues to sing male roles at the New York Met, among others. Meanwhile, in the Little Castle, the siblings circle around each other, lurking on the subject of falling in love for the first time, and need several attempts to confess to themselves and each other that they desire people of the same sex. “Look, I love you. Although it is said that we are the same”, Erika wrote in a dream to a friend called “Sista”.

Open detailed view

A video on the edge of the stage recalls the journeys in which the siblings roared along the southern French coast in an open Ford in the late 1920s. But even if they love the same things, the fast convertible, the hair in the wind, they are very different. “I love with my eyes – you always want to touch everything. You love with your hands,” states Fries as Klaus. “You always want to jump in everywhere. Jump in the car, jump in the lake, jump in the night, jump in the day, jump from the tower. Jump into adventure!” But he wants to “always sit everywhere,” says Schierenbeck. “Sitting in the convertible, sitting by the sea, sitting at night, sitting on the tower, really, when I think of you, I see you sitting somewhere.”

At the end of this cool revue, played with a lot of verve, they find each other again by chance at a table somewhere in Paris, 15 years after their travels. Why did he just leave then? “You can’t live in one room forever,” explains his sister’s brother.

Erik*afrom 16 years, next dates: February 22nd to 27th, Schauburg, Elisabethplatz, www.schauburg.net