Violence Breaks Out at Bochum Theater Premiere Over Provocative Play

The premiere of the provocative play "Catarina oder Von der Schönheit, Faschisten zu töten" at Schauspielhaus Bochum erupted into violence when two audience members assaulted actor Ole Lagerpusch on stage. The incident occurred during a tense final monologue by the character Romeu, a fascist politician, which provoked heated reactions culminating in physical aggression.

The play, written by Portuguese playwright Tiago Rodrigues and directed by Mateja Koležnik, explores a radical family tradition tied to the assassination of a land worker under fascism. At the German-language premiere, Romeu's ten-minute monologue escalated from conservative to openly xenophobic and misogynistic rhetoric, including anti-LGBT sentiments and challenges to minority rights. This led to boos and vocal protests from the audience, with some shouting "Shut up" or "Stop" and even an orange thrown at Lagerpusch.

The situation intensified when two men stormed the stage attempting to forcibly remove the actor, but fellow cast members intervened to restore order. The Schauspielhaus Bochum described the physical attack as "completely unacceptable" and expressed shock at the unprecedented aggression, despite the play previously prompting strong reactions in other countries but no similar violence.

The production critiques fascism by dramatizing a family ritual of killing a fascist annually in memory of Catarina Eufémia, a land worker murdered by fascists in 1954. The play had earlier been performed in Vienna and France, sometimes under heightened security.

In response to the incident, the theater plans to hold post-performance discussions to address the intense responses provoked and reinforce its commitment as a forum for artistic confrontation and safe expression.

The event highlights ongoing tensions in Germany surrounding provocative art that confronts contemporary political extremism and challenges audiences to reflect on democracy and violence.