ExPats Theatre: Testosterone

Testosterone takes the Grimm Brothers’ “The Story of a Boy Who Went Forth to Learn Fear” and turns it on its head with hilarious results. This sharp social satire explores the clash between two brothers: Ingo, the “good son” living a life of comfortable security, and Raul, the “bad son” embracing the chaotic “bad neighborhood.” Their confrontation exposes the absurdities of toxic masculinity and the pitfalls of privileged do-gooding, shaking everyone’s moral compass.

Ingo resides in a high-tech security fortress to protect his own family from the “bad neighborhood”, a barbaric dog-eat-dog world that is rampant with crime, gang wars, and violence. It is the home of his fearless brother Raul and when their worlds collide, chaos erupts, turning everyone’s lives upside down, shaking their concepts of love, courage, and justice to the core, and blowing up their moral categories. It is a “dark parable” disguised as comedy with strong farcical elements—translation by Neil Blackadder and directed by Karin Rosnizeck.

Content Warning: Mild use of swearing or coarse language, mild depictions of drug use, mild violence

Run-Time: 1 hour 30 minutes