Passionate, intensified, and sincerely anguished: Motherfuckinghood
The Berliner Ensemble is set to stage a thought-provoking production titled #Motherfuckinghood on Sep 8 and 25 at Bertolt-Brecht-Platz 1, Mitte. This theatrical piece aims to offer an unfiltered perspective on motherhood in Germany, challenging the idealized cultural and linguistic narratives that often overshadow the realities of motherhood.
Claude De Demo, the central figure of the production, delivers an impassioned speech about giving birth as a traumatic experience of powerlessness and voicelessness. De Demo, portrayed as hassled and harried, on the verge of exploding, appears on stage wearing a trench coat and a stained shirt.
The performance, taking place in German with English surtitles, is described as "unzensiert" (uncensored) and "unbequem" (uncomfortable), indicating a candid and potentially provocative portrayal. De Demo references texts from writers Antonia Baum, Mareike Fallwickl, and theorist Emilia Roig to support their arguments.
The discourse on reproduction in #Motherfuckinghood is depicted as a traumatic experience, pained, conflicted, and guilt-ridden. The production raises the question, "What does it mean to become a mother?" and aims to imagine raising a son who is soft and caring, in a world that wants him to be anything but.
The intervention aims to broaden the discussion on reproduction to include more aspects than just the hetero- and repro-pessimistic perspective. Jorinde Dröse is also mentioned as part of the intervention, contributing to the discourse.
In the final monologue, Claude De Demo imagines civilization collapsing if women were to stop being mothers. The discourse on reproduction only considers part of the equation, according to De Demo and Dröse. The production reaches for humor but maintains a serious tone throughout, offering a more honest, raw, and complex picture of motherhood that often clashes with societal expectations.
The final monologue in #Motherfuckinghood draws inspiration from bell hooks. The performance details can be found online, and De Demo's child is not present, with De Demo having called their father. Overall, #Motherfuckinghood critically examines motherhood's realities in Germany by exposing the gap between cultural myths and lived experiences, offering an unfiltered perspective designed to provoke reflection and dialogue.
In the context of the thought-provoking production #Motherfuckinghood, various aspects of health and wellness, including mental health and women's health, are explored as key themes. Jorinde Dröse also contributes to the conversation, broadening the discourse on reproduction to encompass more perspectives than just the hetero- and repro-pessimistic viewpoint. The performance delves into the complexities of parenting and raises questions about the meaning of motherhood, often juxtaposing the idealized narratives with the realities of the lived experiences.
