site.btaMa’loube Collective Brings The Long Shadow of Alois Brunner to Bulgaria

Ma’loube Collective will perform in Bulgaria for the first time with The Long Shadow of Alois Brunner by Mudar Alhaji, lead partner "36 Monkeys" said here on Monday.

The production is scheduled for June 16 at the 35th National Festival of Small Theatre Forms in Vratsa (Northwestern Bulgaria) and on June 19 at Derida Stage in Sofia.

Two actors arrive for rehearsals but find only fragments of texts, historical documents and personal memories. They search for the play, question whose story they are telling, and explore their roles. The Long Shadow of Alois Brunner recounts the real-life story of one of the most wanted Nazi criminals, responsible for deporting over 100,000 people to concentration camps and ghettos. Brunner escaped arrest, fleeing illegally to Damascus, where he became a leading adviser in establishing Syrian intelligence services.

Mudar Alhaji, the playwright, arrived in Berlin as a refugee in the 21st century. He discovered Brunner’s trail and began researching his history, only for the story to overtake his own life until he disappears.

On stage, two actors piece together fragments of the writer’s investigation, blending personal experiences, historical events, truth and fiction into a shared narrative. According to "36 Monkeys", The Long Shadow of Alois Brunner uses the connection between Syrian and German histories to explore exile, responsibility and political memory, as well as the complex ties between past and present. It raises painfully topical questions about asylum, justice and hope.

The translation was provided by Majd Algafari. Omar Elerian directed the production, which features Wael Kadour and Mohamad Al Rashi. Jonas Vogt designed the set, costumes and served as production manager, with research and dramaturgical support by Erik Althofer.

Praised by The Guardian as a layered and intriguing mystery about a missing writer and Nazi fugitive, the play was described by Leipziger Volkszeitung as a successful performance that evokes empathy and brings us closer to the experiences of others.