Milo Rau turned tribunals into theatre. Now his own moral judgement is on trial
The Swiss director has staged court cases against Pussy Riot, mining companies in Congo and Gisèle Pelicot’s abusers. But after his invitation to Palantir founder Peter Thiel caused a row in Vienna, is Rau’s method eating itself?
TL;DR
- Milo Rau, artistic director of the Wiener Festwochen, is known for his "tribunal" format, which stages hearings with real arguments and symbolic judgments.
- Rau disinvited Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir and a supporter of Donald Trump, from the festival after facing threats of boycotts from various productions.
- Rau's earlier tribunals, such as the "Moscow Trials" against Pussy Riot and the "Congo Tribunal," were critically acclaimed for their political and artistic impact.
- Critics, like Esther Slevogt, question the blurring of lines between fiction and reality in Rau's format, labeling it "artivism" and comparing it unfavorably to real trials.
- Rau's recent "Trial Against Germany" in Hamburg also became controversial due to the selection of its jury.
- Despite criticism, Rau's work continues to provoke debate, with upcoming projects including "The Pelicot Trial" and an opera on "German guilt after the Holocaust."