Directed by Robert Woodruff

Heiner Müller, a German (formerly East German) dramatist, poet, writer, essayist and theatre director, was once described as “the theatre’s greatest living poet” since Samuel Beckett and is known as one of the most important dramatists of the 20th century after Bertolt Brecht.

In 1984, Müller adapted Shakespeare’s first tragedy Titus Andronicus into Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome. Interspersing the dialogue with a chorus-like commentary, the adaptation was heavily political and made reference to numerous twentieth century events, such as the rise of the Third Reich, Stalinism, the erection of the Berlin Wall and the attendant emigration and defection issues, and the 1973 Chilean coup d’état. Müller removed the entire first act, replacing it with a narrated  introduction, and completely rewrote the final act.

This reading is directed by leading American avant-garde director Robert Woodruff and features a translation by Carl Weber and Paul David  Young, recently published in Heiner Müller After Shakespeare by PAJ Publications.