THE RED BICYCLE
The mold lowers – you're cut out, slid into the oven, and baked. But the most crucial thing is the dough! If it's not right, you won't taste good. And you'll end up uneaten in the trash.
(The Red Bicycle, Fred Apke)
Characters
SYLWIA – TV – journalist
DARIA – Your friend
ACTION
A well-known TV journalist (Sylwia) receives a visit from a childhood friend (Daria), who subsequently questions everything she knows and thinks about her. Since the uninvited guest refuses to leave, this encounter with the past becomes a litmus test for her own truths, revealing many a self-deception. A gripping dialogue unfolds, an emotional rollercoaster, filled with accusations and attempts to maintain a facade of socially acceptable behavior.
A decades-old breach of trust, sparked by the theft of a red children's bicycle for which Daria was accused and which ultimately destroyed their friendship, forms the central theme of the play. Behind this seemingly trivial incident lie abysses of childhood hell: abuse, silence, isolation, and despair.
REVIEWS
"The Red Bicycle" at the Ark Vienna
A much-applauded, moving premiere.
A touching, multifaceted play about sexual exploitation, breaches of trust, and betrayal.
This play truly helps one understand why victims find it so difficult to defend themselves after sexual abuse. The production helps the audience to step back from judgment and perceive the issue from the perspective of an observer, allowing for nuanced and empathetic reflection.
(René Liball - Children, Youth, Culture and more)
Shocking yet captivating theatre.
The Red Bicycle, world premiere, Theater Arche Vienna. Brilliantly performed by Eszter Hollósi, Heide Maria Hager, and Helena May Heber – lively, expressive, and suspenseful.
The precise, intense dialogues and confrontations are brought to life on stage through the brilliant linguistic and physical presence of the ensemble, creating a hellish journey through life.
"There are some plays that find you, plays you wouldn't necessarily seek out yourself, but which you then urgently need to bring to the stage..."
(Nagy Vilmos, director Vienna)
