Butt scandal on the theater stage: Actress must pay €2,100 for biting

Clear the stage for... a charge of assault

What was intended to be artistic theater ended with a complaint—and now also with a fine: Austrian actress Anna Werner Friedmann has to pay €2,100 for biting a colleague too hard on the buttocks during a performance. The scene of this unusual incident was the play "Alma – A Show Biz ans Ende" in August 2023 at a cultural hotel in Semmering, south of Vienna.

Although the bite was apparently part of the performance, it clearly went beyond what is considered normal on stage. The court in Neunkirchen has now handed down a Solomonic verdict: no conviction, no criminal record—but no acquittal either. The case was settled through diversion, which in Austria means: show remorse, pay up—and that's that.

"The game was more intense than usual."

In court, the actress appeared understanding. The bite was not malicious, but part of a well-known scene that had already been performed several times. "The game was much more intense than usual," Friedmann said in court. And that was probably the problem.

The situation was further exacerbated by allegations of sexual harassment. Friedmann was accused of pulling down her colleague's pants. However, this charge was dropped. The judge ruled that this alone was not sufficient grounds for a conviction. Another allegation—an alleged burn injury caused by a torch—was also classified as an accident. According to Friedmann's lawyer, this happened because she stumbled, not intentionally.

Theater or action? A year later, the complaint was filed.

What makes this particularly interesting is that the colleague in question only reported the incident a year later. Whether this was due to wounded pride, legal considerations, or actual pain remains unclear. What is certain is that the investigation caused considerable turmoil in Friedman's career, which had recently attracted media attention with her new role as investigator Mara Eisler in the ZDF series "Die Toten vom Bodensee" (The Dead of Lake Constance).

Now, at least legally, the nightmare seems to be over. Friedmann expressed relief at the end of the proceedings. Her lawyer told the press: "She is glad that this nightmare is over."

And what do we say to that?

Theater thrives on emotions, physicality, and sometimes provocation. But a real bite—with legal consequences—is more reality than role. It's good that no one was immediately thrown around with criminal records here. But one does wonder: when acting meets pain – where does the game end and the crime begin? Perhaps it's time for the theater industry to clarify what is allowed on stage – and what should not be bitten.

Source: spiegel.de