Der Krieg der Knöpfe
A musical theater adventure for the whole family by Johanna Arrouas
With French chansons
In German language with songs in German and French
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
Dramaturgy Nina Moebius
Cast on 15. March 2026
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 set design uses projections, painted set pieces, and individual props to depict France as it was a hundred years ago. The small band is positioned on the right side of the stage. Two-dimensional set pieces depict a French village: on the right, a few houses and a café; on the left, a simplified representation of the forest; and in the background, a projection screen that illustrates various moods, such as day and night. The costumes also date from the early 20th century in France. The children wear simple pants, shirts, and dresses. The adults also wear period costumes: the gendarme wears a classic gendarme uniform, others wear simple peasant clothing, and the teacher wears a slightly more elegant suit.
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.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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