Hamburg is the city and federal state with the most millionaires and a few billionaires, yet at the same time it has a very high poverty risk of 19.5% and many poor people. This simultaneity, as an expression of a global development, is the starting point for ARME ARME REICHE REICHE (Poor Poor Rich Rich).

Two authors have conducted intensive research on poverty and wealth in the Hanseatic city and Germany and each written a play: Dagrun Hitze conducted numerous interviews with people affected by wealth for REICHE REICHE in order to explore the possible connections between happiness, wealth, justice, and society. For Sean Keller, ARME ARME is about everyone: long, small, large, thin, old poor people. Working poor, homeless poor, invisible poor. And when it threatens to become too sentimental or even socially romantic, the invisible hand of the market gives it a good slap.

In the first part of the evening, three performers explore the theme of “wealth” through movement patterns that were and are practiced as social dances. The statements of rich people overlay the choreography. In between, we follow wealth researcher Rudolf Martin through Hamburg in video sequences.

The second part explores the lives of poor people using ever-new approaches and completely different artistic means, showing how poverty is systemic and persists.

ARME ARME REICHE REICHE combines two plays and different theatrical means and forms to explore the subtle differences and to powerfully counter the threatening hopelessness and powerlessness: Another world is possible.