Romulus the Great

Poultry farming | Power | Decadence

What a lovely utopia: great generals who have no interest in their empire and would rather live as poultry farmers.

Romulus the Great, the last emperor of the Roman Empire, is staying at his summer residence and couldn’t care less about the affairs of state. He is interested only in his chicken farming. His ministers are growing nervous. They implore the emperor to finally do something about the advancing Germanic tribes. But Romulus wouldn’t dream of it. Nor is he prepared to save his empire by selling it to the industrialist Caesar Rupf. Quite the contrary: Romulus has schemed his way to the top of the Roman Empire specifically to consign it to ruin. ‘It has become a world empire and, as such, an institution that publicly engages in murder, plunder, oppression and pillage at the expense of other peoples.’

Romulus’s entourage flees. Alone, he faces the Germanic tribes when they reach his villa. But Romulus has not reckoned with the Germanic prince Odoacer. Fearing the emergence of a great Germanic empire, Odoacer has come to subjugate Romulus. Friedrich Dürrenmatt imagines power-weary rulers and plays his bitterly malicious game with the supposedly powerful of this world.

Following last season’s *Maria Stuart*, another production by Oliver Keller, Co-Artistic Director of TOBS! Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn, is coming to the Theater Casino Zug as a guest performance.

6.45 pm | Introduction

Duration: approx. 120 mins, including an interval
Age: 12+
Language: German