Wie später ihre Kinder

Play based on the novel Leurs enfants après eux by Nicolas Mathieu
German-language premiere

Set in Lorraine in the 1990s, Wie später ihre Kinder follows a group of young people growing up in a formerly prosperous industrial region shaped by economic decline and a growing sense of limited opportunity. Spanning several summers, the story observes how their relationships, circumstances and perspectives change as they move towards adulthood.

The costume design approaches this world through realism rather than a stylised interpretation of the 1990s. Clothing is rooted in each character’s personality, social environment and economic circumstances, with period references remaining understated rather than becoming the defining feature of their appearance.

Rather than creating entirely new looks for each passing summer, the costumes evolve through subtle changes in how familiar pieces are worn, combined and aged. A once-new shirt might later appear open, worn and dirty over a visible undershirt, while make-up and hairstyles gradually become more pronounced as the female characters grow older. Much of the wardrobe was sourced from the theatre’s existing costume stock, where already worn and lived-in pieces supported this sense of continuity, time and everyday reality.