Bavaria

In his plays, the Chilean director and playwright Guillermo Calderón achieves an entirely original combination of humour and political power. Many of his texts are highly comic tales of the prejudice, ignorance and egotism that come to light through intercultural exchange. His latest play for the Residenztheater tells of the efforts of a religious sect in Munich to advertise for a newly founded settlement in Chile. A concert of German and Chilean folk songs is intended to animate more people to embark for a new freedom on the other side of the globe. With this objective, the sect has invited a Chilean musician in order to devise a programme with him combining the cultures of both countries. However, even during rehearsals it becomes clear that the emigrants’ intentions are not as selfless as they might appear…

«In this play I want to examine the relationship between the motives of the German colonists and those of the Chilean government, who have given German settlers a great deal of land and support since the 19^th century. The sadly notorious ‹Colonia Dignidad› was just one among many. On the one hand, there was a plan to develop our country, its army and its education system, but another of its effects was to take away the land of the Indigenous population that still lives in these areas today and continues to have less influence than the descendants of the German immigrants who belong to the social elite.» Guillermo Calderón

Guillermo Calderón is one of Chile’s leading theatre makers. His company’s productions tour worldwide. He also earns a living in the USA, where he works as a screen writer. His collaboration with the acclaimed film director Pablo Larraín extends over many years.