By hand-stitching garments using fabric, cotton, sewing needles, and thread, you can fashion authoritarian figures.
In a nod to Erich Kästner's biting satire "The School for Dictators," theater maker Sarah Wissner has crafted the engaging farce "Hand Made Tyrant" for the Schubert Theater. The production requires little more than a piece of fabric, some cotton, a needle, and thread, with a sewing machine humming away to create the initially simple figures that come to life under Wissner's skilled hands.
Much like a light bulb that can potentially burn one's hand, these fabric creatures learn to move and navigate the dangers lurking in their surroundings. As they multiply, a power struggle ensues, with each new figure vying for supreme authority, replacing its predecessor with the same methods.
Whether depicted as Pinochet, Mugabe, Franco, or Mussolini, the leaders are cut from the same cloth, displaying similar patterns of behavior. In an intriguing twist, Soffi Povo and André Reitter grace the stage as independent characters apart from their roles as puppeteers, portraying the fabric figures with a chilling sense of autonomy.
Although details about "Hand Made Tyrant" are scarce in current sources, it might draw comparison to Kästner’s satirical novel/drama in its dramatic and philosophical exploration of power and tyranny. Meanwhile, "The Dictator’s Handbook" by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith analyzes the mechanics of political power from a pragmatic, behind-the-scenes perspective, highlighting the incentives and loyalties involved in maintaining power.
While it remains uncertain whether "Hand Made Tyrant" directly delves into these themes, its connection to Kästner's work and the broader study of political power suggests a thought-provoking theatrical experience. The Schubert Theater's production of "Hand Made Tyrant" is set to open soon, inviting audiences to question the nature of authority and the manipulation of the masses.
The books "Hand Made Tyrant" and Erich Kästner's "The School for Dictators" share a commonality in their exploration of power and tyranny, providing entertainment that challenges audiences to question the nature of authority. The fabric creatures in "Hand Made Tyrant" mimic real leaders, embodying patterns of behavior found in entertainment.
