Geld ist Klasse

**Abundance and Democracy**

Overwealth destroys social justice. It destroys all human livelihoods. Excess wealth is highly concentrated, uncontrolled power. And it is growing rapidly worldwide. Complaining about poverty, exploitation and social discrimination is no longer enough. The theatre maker Volker Lösch, the millionaire heiress Marlene Engelhorn and the actress Marlene Reiter approach the topic of inequality from an unusual perspective: together they perform a theatrical attack on excess wealth.

The sweaty piece, in which intensified fast-talking and the performance of series of numbers at top speed can also be experienced, shows how money and (in)justice are connected and how overwealth camouflages itself to the outside world and immunizes against criticism. In the game, Lösch, Engelhorn and Reiter combine documentary material, personal stories and grotesque scenes to form a hybrid whole that is intended to do one thing above all: a desire for change.

Marlene Engelhorn is the first overrich person to speak self-critically about wealth on the theatre stage. Through these insights into the isolated world of the super-wealthy, the production "Money is Class" makes the process of knowledge vivid. It is clear that change can only be brought about together – poor, rich, public and political alike must become active.

**Who is Who?**

Marlene Engelhorn studied German language and literature at the University of Vienna and has worked in the field of tutoring and language training, among other things. When she learned of her large million-dollar inheritance, she began to deal with the ideas of the Guerrilla Foundation; it is now part of the Funders' Circle. She is co-founder of the "taxmenow" initiative and, together with other wealthy people, vehemently advocates a wealth and inheritance tax as well as progressive capital gains taxation. In addition to many appearances and activities on radio and television, she published her book "Geld" in 2022.

Volker Lösch has so far realized over 100 successful productions in drama and opera. From 2005 to 2013 he was in-house director and member of the artistic direction at the Staatstheater Stuttgart. His productions "Marat/Sade" based on Peter Weiss at the Schauspielhaus Hamburg in 2009 and "Tartuffe or Capital and Ideology" based on Molière/Piketty in Dresden in 2022 were invited to the Berliner Theatertreffen. In 2013 he received the Lessing Prize of the Free State of Saxony. In his works, he often brings together representatives of different social groups with professional performers, such as activists of the Last Generation for "Right to Youth" at the Schauspielhaus Bonn and people from the Reichsbürger and AfD milieu for Brecht's "Threepenny Opera" at the Staatsschauspiel Dresden.

"Money is Class" is part of the opening round of the 26/27 season.