Wolfgang Kohlhaase

Wolfgang Kohlhaase was born in 1931 in Berlin. He began his career in 1947 as a volunteer journalist, subsequently continued as a literary secretary, and from 1952 as a playwright. In addition to these, he published plays for radio drama, as well. He won the Goethe Award in 1974, and in 1977 he was awarded Prix Italia for "Grünstein Variant", being a laureate of the National Prize in former GDR consecutive times. "Fish for Lunch" was co-written with Rita Zimmer in 1968 and ranks among the most frequently staged comedies in Germany.  

Rita Zimmer

Rita Zimmer was born in 1937 in Berlin and studied painting between 1957 and 1961; later she worked as a fashion consultant. "Fish for Lunch" marks her dramatic debut. Several plays for radio drama followed, the greatest success being the 1974 "Handsome Hubert", broadcasted among others by BBC and Südwestfunk Baden-Baden stations. Rita Zimmer lives in Berlin, her activities including fashion design and freelance writing.

THE PLAY

Servant Rudolf Moosdenger decides to leave his female employers, having dedicated many years of service to the Heckendorf residence. In order to see to his plan, he needs the amount each of the three Heckendorf ladies, Clementina, Cecilia and Charlotte, promised to him. These would rather see Rudolf gone than pay him the debt. When not even blackmail represents an option, one resorts to more infallible methods for reaching the goals.

"Fish for Lunch" is an entertaining crime comedy making its debut on the stage of the German State Theatre in Timişoara in 1981.