The Rainbacher Gospel Plays invite you to »Ruth«

For the 20th time this year, the Rainbacher Gospel Plays invite you to the small town in the Innviertel. Unfortunately, for the first time without its founder: the busy Rainbacher author Friedrich Ch. Zauner succeeded his wife Roswitha, who had died a year earlier, in November at the age of 86.

The writing couple’s legacy lives on thanks to their four children. The daughters Agnes and Anna Zauner have taken over the directorship of the games, which apart from that are entirely in the hands of women this year: Babett Arens is the first female director to make her successful Rainbach debut with a play about a strong woman: “Ruth”.

The widowed Mohabitan follows her mother-in-law Noemi in her homeland of Judah, where, as a stranger in a foreign country, she experiences exclusion, including violence and abuse. A fate of migration, but also a MeToo, which could not be more topical, but which Arens can still wrest a certain lightness from. A piece that is once again in Zauner’s mission to peel the timeless humanity of the characters from the biblical core.

Boundless love story

At the same time, the audience in the barn built for the games in 2009 can also immerse themselves in a tender love story between Ruth and the landowner Boaz. A love that almost fails due to the patriarchal structures of its time, which from today’s perspective may make you shudder: “A woman is not allowed to choose her man.”

But if you know the rules and respect them, you can sometimes break them wisely. Zeynep Alan gives her “Ruth” youthful freshness. As “Noemi” at her side, Vanessa Payer radiates the relaxed maturity of someone with experience of life. A strong women’s team, in the story as well as on the stage. Eric Lingens is the sovereign landowner Boas, but endearingly shy in matters of the heart.

Indispensable part: the incidental music. Gunter Waldek created the harmonious, simple sound world for “Ruth”, the playful chamber ensemble of cello, percussion, woodwind and brass is carefully conducted by Leona Siber. Supporting Ruth like a guardian angel is Antonia Ortner with a heartfelt soprano. Long, strong applause.

Conclusion: A total work of art in the clear “Rainbacher style”, focused on the essentials.

Appointments until June 25theach Fri., Sat., Sun., 3 p.m. and 7.30 p.m., 0699/19206684, rainbacher-evangelienspiele.at