A highly topical drama about the limits of resilience and the future of care.

A nursing crisis, a shortage of skilled workers and the invisible burden of care work: Christina Kettering's play "Black Swans" addresses issues that affect our ageing society on a daily basis. It centres on two sisters who are faced with the most difficult decision of their lives: What happens to their mother in need of care?

Human closeness vs. technical perfection While the older sister rationally argues in favour of a nursing home, the younger sister decides in favour of home care - and promptly reaches her limits. The supposed saviour appears in the form of Rosie, a hypermodern care robot. Rosie is perfect: she is efficient, is constantly learning thanks to AI and even offers emotional comfort. But the relief gradually turns into unease. Rosie is increasingly taking control of the house. Is the machine a help or is it just a reflection of the family's repressed conflicts?

Award-winning drama Christina Kettering won first prize in the "Science & Theatre" authors' competition for this gripping work. It is a story that offers no simple answers, but confronts the audience with the question: How much humanity can technology tolerate - and how much technology do humans need?

Zittau House Studio Theatre