Two French villages 100 years ago have been at loggerheads for generations, although nobody knows exactly why. It is the children who are fighting this battle. They regularly meet in the forest and fight each other. However, the fact that clothes are torn and buttons are cut off in the process infuriates the parents, who give the children a hard time about it. The gang of rascals must therefore show all kinds of ingenuity in order to continue the brawls.
The stage version, written by Johanna Arrouas, is based on the classic children’s book by Louis Pergaud and the iconic film version. Well-known chansons convey the French savoir vivre.
Recommended from 6 years
Leading Team
Stage direction Johanna Arrouas
Bühne und Kostüm Christof Hetzer
Video Roman Hansi
Lighting design Alex Brok
Sounddesign Martin Lukesch
Cast on 24. April 2025
Further dates and cast
Photos and Videos
For all those who use a screen reader, a description of the visual aspects of the performance (set design, costumes...) follows here instead of the photo gallery.
The stage set uses projections, painted set pieces and individual props to depict France a hundred years ago. The small band is located on the right of the stage. Two-dimensional set pieces show a French village, on the right a few houses and a café, on the left the reduced forest, in the background a projection screen that illustrates different moods, for example day and night. The costumes are also from the beginning of the century in France. The children wear poor pants, shirts and dresses. The adults also wear period costumes, the gendarme a classic gendarme costume, others poor peasant clothes, the teacher a somewhat more upmarket suit.
_(1).jpg "© Barbara Pálffy / Volksoper Wien")
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.jpeg "© Barbara Pálffy / Volksoper Wien")
.jpeg "© Barbara Pálffy / Volksoper Wien")
.jpeg "© Barbara Pálffy / Volksoper Wien")
.jpeg "© Barbara Pálffy / Volksoper Wien")
.jpeg "© Barbara Pálffy / Volksoper Wien")
.jpeg "© Barbara Pálffy / Volksoper Wien")
.JPG "© Barbara Pálffy / Volksoper Wien")
Articles from our Weborello
„Der Krieg der Knöpfe (War of the Buttons)“: an interview with director Johanna Arrouas
The captivating adventure story Der Krieg der Knöpfe (War of the Buttons) tells of friendship and enmity, of winning and losing, of small and big children. Director Johanna Arrouas is staging the story, we met her for an interview!
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„Der Krieg der Knöpfe (War of the Buttons)“ celebrates its premiere
Der Krieg der Knöpfe (War of the Buttons) is an integral part of French identity and a classic of young people's literature. Johanna Arrouas stages the story of friendship and enmity with a lot of humor and great emotion in her own stage version. We've already had a look at the rehearsals!
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