They Divided The Sky at Belvoir St Theatre

Curious and passionate Rita is falling in love with hilariously pedantic Manfred. Together, they are fearless. East Germany is in generational turmoil: post-war trauma in conflict with youthful optimism.

Utopias seem possible. Marxism! Socialism! Revolution! But the Cold War is underway and when Manfred’s professional ambitions are thwarted, he looks to the West. The Soviets put a man into space and a Wall is about the split the city. Will their love go the way of their beloved country, or will Rita’s idealism, and seemingly boundless capacity for sacrifice triumph?

Christa Wolf was one of the most beloved German authors of her generation. Her first full-length novel They Divided the Sky was hailed at the time for its artistic achievement and excoriated for its “decadent” politics. This timely adaptation by Daniel Schlusser has been written for two of our finest performers, Nikki Shiels and Stephen Phillips.

A Daniel Schlusser Ensemble production.