“Are you a political person? If you could turn back time, would you do everything exactly the same in your life? What is worth fighting for?”

One guest, two tables, 110 questions. A genially merciless interviewer provides insights into a country’s mentality. Zu Gast im brut is a new regular series created by Graz-based company Theater im Bahnhof. In each episode, three different local personalities are thoroughly probed in 30-minute interviews. Pia Hierzegger asks them randomly drawn questions ranging from the current political situation to personal issues, thus unfolding a vivid selection of greatly varying insights, views and perspectives.

The interviewer’s infallible sense of situation comedy and her charmingly relentless questioning not only produce some unexpected surprises, they also paint an intimate portrait of her interviewees. The purpose is not to expose or denounce. The spectators are part of worlds they not usually get to see: the worlds of politicians and squatters, early risers and night owls, natives and newcomers, higher and lower earners. Some questions might be banal but all the harder to answer. And then, after 30 minutes, an alarm goes off and ends the conversation.

Graz-based Theater im Bahnhof makes contemporary theatre for the people and deals with the Austrian identity between tradition and pop culture. It is Austria’s largest independent theatre group and has been a regular guest at brut, most recently with its production No, Nothing in co-operation with the performance duo united sorry.