Description
By Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Translated by Antony Vivis
with a foreword by Martin Hall
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant: Petra is a prominent fashion designer who lives with Marlene, her much put-upon assistant. Petra is deeply attracted to the younger Karin and asks her to move in. But Karin is married and plans on rejoining her husband later. Petra is upset by this but still gives Karin money for a flight to Frankfurt to meet her husband. Drunk on her 35th birthday, a huge row erupts between Petra, her daughter, Gaby, her mother Valerie, and her friend, Sidonie, who gives Petra a doll as a birthday present. Karin eventually telephones, but Petra declines to see her. Afterwards, Petra apologizes to Marlene suggesting they work together again. Marlene simply packs her bags, and leaves silently, taking the doll with her.
This play is combined in a dual edition with:
Blood on the Neck of the Cat: An alien from space named Phoebe Zeitgeist arrives at a cocktail party and learns about human beings from those attending. First the main characters deliver confessional monologues about themselves then Phoebe speaks one-on-one with the characters, picking up certain phrases and attitudes from them. Finally, Phoebe repeats some of what she has heard, with the other characters commenting that she must be either drunk or smart.
REVIEWS
“Solitude, love, and codependency are key themes explored in The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. The solitary setting of Petra’s bedroom maximizes the dramatic tension while mirroring her entrapment.” − Nick Chen, BFI
“…a darkly sarcastic, gloriously messy absurdist play about an alien […] who comes into the world naked and guileless and learns to play all our dangerous games.” − Jack Helbig, The Chicago Reader
“Seeing a Fassbinder retrospective is better than drugs, liquor and sex put together” – John Waters
“The book has two plays which is why I structured the review to start with my opinion first on the first play and then on the second.
1. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant
It started off really interesting, I liked how we were introduced to both Petra and Sidone and later Karin as well. It really built a great foundation to work on in my opinion. Besides, I liked that the author shows Petra’s more egoistical/selfish side from the beginning (since it’s a central theme). And also established the relationship she has with Marlene. Following her relationship with Karin and how they even got into contact as well as how their general relationship established was really interesting since it was so fast paced and felt overall rather like Petra was addicted to Karin, while Karin (though younger) was the more level headed one. Though, when Karin then eventually left, I have to admit that I felt so much pity for Petra.
I also really liked how the next two parts were structured (and the theme was being selfish was really present here) and then the end of the play. It was done very well!! And I especially liked how the central theme came back and stressed Petra’s (somewhat) character development in that area to the reader/viewer.
Overall, the play was well done. I had a good time, though I have to admit that it was very fast paced for me which, in turn, made me feel like I missed something (if that makes sense). Though I will definitely watch the actual play now!
2. Blood on the neck (play 2 of the book)
“Phoebe Zeitgeist has been sent to Earth from another star so that she can write a report on democracy amongst humans. But Phoebe Zeitgeist is in trouble… She does not understand the language that the people are speaking, even though she has learned the words.”
This was very very messy but all the more funny to read and experience! I gotta admit, I was confused through more than half of it but it was overall just so messy but in a great way.
We meet so many different characters (Phoebe, The Teacher, The Policeman, The Butcher, The Model, The Girl, The Soldier, The Widow, The Mistress) and their stories. What’s funny is that they all talk to each other and about themselves and their problems, so – as you can surely imagine – it creates quite the mess. And then, in the middle of it all, we have phoebe who can’t really understand anything so she repeats sentences every now and again. Just adding more to the messiness of it! And a very good twist!!
Overall both plays were very good!! I throughly enjoyed reading them and thinking about them afterwards too!” **** ~ Leonie Platte, Netgalley
“While I enjoyed reading both plays, I much preferred the 2nd one.
Blood on the Neck of the Cat was a much better experience. It was a pretty high 4* read for me. I love absurdist fiction. I loved the messiness of the characters and how they relate to each other. It’s the kind of play I want to re-read and take notes on (because there’s a lot of characters!) but at the same time I loved the complication of it. I loved the bits of informations I got to pick up along the way, and how they made me see previous monologues differently. As in the bitter tears of Petra Von Kant, the characters aren’t nice people but in that context, I loved it. It added to the messiness of it all.
Messy really is the best word I can find to describe it.” *** ~ E Reads, Netgalley
About the author
Openly bi-sexual and deliberately subversive, Rainer Werner Fassbinder was post-war Germany’s greatest filmmaker. An auteur whose 41 films ranged across genres and styles, his critique of society included Nazism, post-war Germany’s economic transformation and social and sexual constraints and hypocrisy.
He began in theatre after being rejected for film school and made a name for himself as a controversial writer-director challenging social norms. He started to make films on a shoestring budget drawing together a group of stage actors and technicians and with his incredible energy and drive, produced ten films in two years. Fassbinder was inspired by French New Wave Cinema and Hollywood films, especially those by Douglas Sirk, to explore homoerotic themes in line with his queer vision of people constrained by society and tradition. He died at 37 and leaves a legacy of provocative, deeply personal films which continue to have relevance in an age when liberal values are under attack and the right is on the rise again.
Fassbinder was the subject of a major retrospective at BFI Southbank in 2017.
