TELL ME WHY. Aids im Köln der 80er – Oder: Die Angst vor der Unberechenbarkeit der vielarmigen Krake

In the organizer's words:

That's what it's all about

"Tell Me Why. Aids in Cologne in the 80s. Or: The fear of the unpredictability of the many-armed octopus" takes viewers on a journey through time: when a pear was chancellor, "Twix" was still called "Raider" and a virus terrified the world.In addition to this look back at the early years of the disease, which divided society (including the queer community) and put solidarity to the test, the Petra P. production office also brings the topic into the here and now together with experts: Has the disease lost its horror? What is it like to live with HIV today?Once again, the boundaries between fiction and documentary are blurred: those who were among the early victims of the disease in the 80s are given a posthumous voice, while at the same time awareness is raised for the concerns of those suffering today - without pointing fingers, but instead imaginatively theatrical, (self-)ironic, cheerful and touching.

That's why you have to go in

In its new participatory project, the queer ensemble, known for its brilliant bridging of the gap between high culture and shrill trash, devotes itself to a topic that is rarely dealt with in the theater: HIV/Aids. Not light fare, but the signature of the production office Petra P. is to tell even serious topics in an unexpectedly entertaining way. Most recently at the Sommerblut Festival 2025 with "Traudl Junge" (awarded the Sommerblut Foundation Prize, nominated for the Cologne Theater Prize and the Kurt Hackenberg Prize for Political Theater): "An evening of theater can hardly be more entertaining and thought-provoking." (Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger)

PSST

In their new participatory project, the Petra P. production office is once again assisted by interesting experts: Aids activists and people living with HIV, including Hans Berlin, a gay porn star. After each performance, one of them will open the audience discussion with a keynote speech.
The production office Petra P. are: Daniel Breitfelder, Johannes Brüssau, Sebastian Kreyer. Firmly anchored in Cologne's independent theater scene, they read a wide variety of que(e)r material, which also means discovering the tragic in the cheerful and the cheerful in the tragic.

A production of the production office Petra P.

Information on accessibility

Much spoken text.

Duration: approx. 90 minutes; followed by an audience discussion: approx. 45 minutes

The performance will be interpreted from difficult language into easy language on 21.05., preceded by an introduction in easy language.

The introduction to easy language begins on May 21 at 7:30 pm. The meeting point is in the event room.

The performance on 22.05. will be interpreted from German spoken language into German Sign Language (DGS) .

The performance on 23.05. will be accompanied by an audio description with touch tour.

The touch tour begins on 23.05. at 7 pm. The meeting point is in the auditorium.

The auditorium is barrier-free. There is a wheelchair accessible toilet at the venue.

We can reserve wheelchair-accessible seats or accessible seats for you and your companions.

You can bring your own headphones to use the interpretation of difficult language into easy language on 21 May and the audio description on 22 May. The connection works via a simple mini-jack plug.

In the courtyard, a tactile guidance system leads to all entrances of the civic center and the catering facilities.

The nearest public parking spaces for people with disabilities (with an "aG" parking permit) are located on Sudermanplatz (150 m away).

The various support requirements can be specified when purchasing tickets. This way we can prepare well.

Please let us know if you would like to be picked up from the nearest bus or train stop and accompanied to the event.

People with the "B" mark on their disabled person's pass can claim a free ticket for an accompanying person.

Guide dogs and assistance dogs are very welcome. Please let us know if you are bringing a dog to the performance.

If you have any concerns or questions about accessibility, please contact Iris (iris.haist@sommerblut.de).

Further information: https://www.sommerblut.de/de/veranstaltung/1993-tell-me-why-aids-im-koeln-der-80er