
Endsieg: The Second Coming
Theater
Democracy is in crisis, and the public is confused. Elfriede Jelinek responds to Donald Trump’s second election victory with a powerful new text: Endsieg: The Second Coming—a grim sequel to Am Königsweg / The Burgher King, her play about the U.S. election eight years ago. Jelinek depicts how Trump’s followers view the “new old king” as a divinely chosen redeemer. But the king is not alone. Lurking behind him are political and economic cliques, each vying for his favor—and with one another. Meanwhile, resistance is crumbling: “I say there is nothing more, there is nothing else, the other no longer exists, there is nothing to see, there is only the one left,” declares the blind seer. So what remains, beyond Jelinek’s relentless dissection of our times?
About The Event
A live English reading of Elfriede Jelinek’s new play Endsieg: The Second Coming—a response to the re-election of Donald Trump. Translated by Gitta Honegger. Featuring Nicole Ansari-Cox and directed by Milo Rau, with introductory remarks by Elfriede Jelinek. The reading will be followed by a Q&A with Milo Rau and Gitta Honegger, moderated by Frank Hentschker, Executive Director of the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center. Presented in collaboration with the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) and the Free Republic of Vienna. Democracy is in crisis, and the public is confused. Elfriede Jelinek responds to Donald Trump’s second election victory with a powerful new text: Endsieg: The Second Coming—a grim sequel to Am Königsweg / The Burgher King, her play about the U.S. election eight years ago. Jelinek depicts how Trump’s followers view the “new old king” as a divinely chosen redeemer. But the king is not alone. Lurking behind him are political and economic cliques, each vying for his favor—and with one another. Meanwhile, resistance is crumbling: “I say there is nothing more, there is nothing else, the other no longer exists, there is nothing to see, there is only the one left,” declares the blind seer. So what remains, beyond Jelinek’s relentless dissection of our times?
About The Organizer
Down to Earth brings world-class international performance, contemporary circus, and in-situ performances—absolutely free—directly to New York City's vibrant, diverse communities. An initiative that democratizes cultural expression, the inaugural festival will take place August 31 to September 7, 2025. Conceived by The CUNY Graduate Center, The Martin E. Segal Theatre serves as the festival's producer, underwriter, and fiscal agent.
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