East Germany arrives to the Belvoir’s Downstairs Theatre with the premier of the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble’s They Divided The Sky. Adapted from Christa Wolf’s first full-length novel of the same title, They Divided The Sky was controversial upon its release in 1963, resulting in state censorship when the novel was translated.
“It’s a book that gives you this frisson of excitement because there is this notoriety and element of danger such that the state felt it was important to omit parts of the story upon its release to the west,” says Daniel Schlusser, who adapted and directed the play.
“Wolf manages to take his incredibly personal story and make it resonate as a broader metaphor for a country that was dividing itself in two.”
They Divided The Sky follows the curious and passionate Rita (Nikki Shiels) as she falls in love with her personality opposite, Manfred (Stephen Phillips). Set against the backdrop of an East Germany in generational turmoil, the pair must navigate the social and political forces challenging their relationship.
