Ferdinand von Schirach

HE SAID, SHE SAID

A successful woman meets a successful man, and they begin an affair. Both are married with children. After a few years, they decide to break up, but a chance encounter brings them back together. This time, however, physical intimacy was not consensual, but violent, she says. That’s not true, he says. Now, the two public figures – television host Katharina Schlüter and professor Christian Thiede – find themselves facing each other in court as enemies.

Their private lives are exposed to the public and judged by society, greatly impacting their career prospects. The trial unveils a staggering amount of evidence, which, in a thriller-like fashion, exposes the two former lovers and their secrets. For a time, the court leans toward believing Katharina’s version of the story, where she is the victim... But who is really telling the truth?

Ferdinand von Schirach, the Berlin-based playwright, is a lawyer who has quickly risen to become one of the most internationally recognised and prolific contemporary German authors. He has written a gripping procedural drama that explores sexuality and boundaries, lies and probabilities, values and prejudices in society. This provocative #MeToo-themed work raises controversial questions, including whether a woman is always a victim, and has been adapted for film and successfully staged across Europe.

• 12+