The Lime Works

For years, Konrad has longed to write a unique treatise on hearing. To finally give himself the time and opportunity, he buys a house in a remote lime works. In this seclusion, far from the disturbing influence of society’s hustle and bustle, he begins work on his masterpiece. His sick, paralysed wife serves as his guinea-pig: for days, weeks and months he experiments with the effect of various consonants, vowels and vocal-groups upon her. But Konrad is unable to put his thoughts down on paper. When he has a dream in which his wife can move, the truth suddenly hits him. She lacks both the discipline and the respect to help him with his experiments. Konrad can see only one way out: he must kill her. What happens when someone fails to live up to their own expectations and life is thus rendered pointless?

Thomas Bernhard’s novel, published in 1970, tells the story of a desperate, raging obsession. Philipp Preuss grew up in Vienna and studied directing and acting in Salzburg. He directs at theatres including the Schauspiel Frankfurt, the Schauspiel Leipzig and the Schlosstheater Moers. »The Lime Works« is his first production at the Schaubühne.