ZEITLOS: A Journey Through Life – Performances at the thalhaus in Wiesbaden

Slowly, the two roll toward each other, circle one another, raise their hands, and touch. A striking ballet featuring two wheelchairs. The two actors smile at each other, completely absorbed in the moment. They are members of the theater group “Zeitlos,” which has been in existence for more than 25 years. Painting, singing, dancing, and acting are all part of everyday life at EVIM. Being creative together with others is good for you and enriches your life. The “Zeitlos” group is a particularly beautiful example of this. Together with dance therapist Katharina Weil, they develop the plays that are regularly performed at the thalhaus. This time, the title is “The Three Pillars of Being.” It sounds profound—and it is—but there’s no shortage of humor, laughter, and lightheartedness either. The theater group shows the press representatives just a few small snippets; “You’ll see the rest at the thalhaus,” says Wenzel Friebe, a longtime group member, with a smile. Friebe loves acting just as much as he loves making music; in addition to “Zeitlos,” he also plays drums in EVIM’s own rock band, “Ruhestörung.” Sometimes, after a long workday on Mondays, he has to really motivate himself to attend rehearsal, but he’s always glad he did. Most of the group’s members have been with the troupe for a very long time. It’s always a great sense of accomplishment when a play is fully developed; this time, “Zeitlos” has been working on it for three years. Performing the plays in front of an audience is part of the concept. They want to showcase themselves publicly, highlight their strengths, and inspire others. 

On Life’s Big Questions, Suitcases, and Personal Stories

The “three pillars of being” are three questions everyone asks themselves: Where do I come from? Where am I going? Who am I? This is interpreted here as a “journey through life.” And when you travel, you take a suitcase with you. There are plenty of them on stage; they’re carried back and forth, opened, and closed. They contain various symbolic objects. During the rehearsal visit, only a glimpse is offered of the collage-like scenes, which are performed with plenty of movement and charm. The texts are profound, inspiring empathy and reflection. 

The theme of “journey” was at the heart of the play’s development from the very beginning, reports Katharina Weil. The challenge for the group is figuring out how to turn this into a full-length performance. The strong sense of togetherness and commitment displayed by the performers is a true gift, says the dance therapist, who feels deeply connected to the group. She is supported by volunteer staff. “Timeless” is a perfectly fitting name, because time isn’t important at all. It slips away, stretches out, vanishes: the journey is the destination. The texts are written by the participants themselves, but some scenes—such as the wheelchair dance—get by entirely without words. They are moving and reveal the participants’ personal reflections. Everyone finds their own form of expression. “The performers fully immerse themselves in the process,” says Katharina Weil happily. The piece itself is a journey; it’s in constant flux, continually evolving. 

Everyone is eagerly awaiting the two performances on November 11 and 12 at thalhaus (8 p.m.). In addition to the suitcases—as Katharina Weil reveals—"threads of life" also play a role as props. Ursula Bender, deputy director of EVIM-Teilhabe, is thrilled by her visit to the rehearsal. She praises the tremendous impact and the high level of commitment from all the participants. “We’ll support the group until no one feels like doing it anymore,” she says with a laugh. That’s likely to be a long time from now, because their enthusiasm for acting is palpable, as is their eagerness for the performance. And Katharina Weil adds: “When I’m 90, I still want to be sitting in the front row of your audience, applauding.” (abp, photos: evim)