Performance Piece 'Die Theatermacherinnen' Revives Forgotten Women in Theater History

A performance titled 'Die Theatermacherinnen' (The Theater Makers) was presented at Petersplatz in Vienna. The work is a collaborative production between performer and producer Carmen Kirschner and Theater am Werk, a Vienna-based theater company. The performance features Carmen Kirschner positioned before a video screen displaying Helga Illich, who leads the Gruppe-80 collective. The piece addresses the historical neglect of significant female figures in theater, drawing parallels to other overlooked women artists like Maria Lazar and Michaelina Wautier. This theme resonates with contemporary efforts to reclaim women's contributions, as seen in Anne Tismer's 2021 performance 'Name Her.' The text for 'Die Theatermacherinnen' was written by Hannah K. Bründl. The production employs speed and volume as artistic strategies to counteract cultural amnesia regarding women's roles in theater history.