Cultural tip on SDG 8: Theatre play ‘Beyond Caring’
- 2022-12-12
- Janna Degener-Storr
The theatre play ‘Beyond Caring’ shows the everyday life of cleaning staff and thus addresses SDG 8 "".
Minimum wage jobber Ava is new to the team of cleaners that comes together when others are going to bed. Ava speaks softly as she hands over her job centre letter to the shift supervisor at a meat factory: ‘I’m sorry, I’m not really late,’ she admits shyly. Her macho boss grabs the note. It is Ava’s first night shift in a series of other shifts in the butcher plant.
The by Alexander Zeldin is about more than the joylessness of cleaning work. The social analysis that is staged at the tells the story of five temporary workers. In the middle of the night they have to perform well at any price. Whoever is too rebellious will have to do the Saturday shift.
For example blonde Betty, who dared to disagree with the shift supervisor. With a teary voice she has to explain this to her daughter during her break: ‘Listen, I would come if I could...’ Alongside shattered dreams, the play also shows how Ava is humiliated as she is made to mop up vomit in front of her colleagues.
The play that is directed by was first presented in London in 2014. A German-language version has been running in Berlin since 27 April 2022. The play highlights the pressure experienced by certain types of workers in our revenue-driven country.