Sprechen Sie Deutsch? “Der Besuch der alten Dame,” a play by Friedrich Duerrenmatt, will be put on by the German department this weekend in Hagerty Hall. It paints a humorous picture of the corrupting effect of money which should appeal to both speakers and non-speakers of the language.”Although the play is in German, it is still very easy to follow the action of the play,” said Peter Schultz, a first-year doctoral student majoring in education who portrays the mayor.”It’s about an old, rich woman who comes back to her hometown in Switzerland with her ninth husband to get revenge on her old lover,” Schultz said. “The town, Guellen, is destitute and is in desperate need of money. The rich, old lady agrees to help them out on the condition that the town will help her get revenge on her old lover.”Graduate student Timothy Snider plays the lead character whose life is in danger.”I got her pregnant and then dissed her,” Snider said. “She went off and made a lot of money by marrying nine different husbands and has come back to the town and has offered $1 billion to any family that will kill me. “My character is such scum. He thinks he’s going to woo his old girlfriend to get some money, and all she wants to do is kill him.”Because this play is in standard text, it is fairly easy to understand, said Patricia Spinner, the director of the play and a graduate student majoring in German. Spinner wanted to direct this particular play because many people have read it but have never seen it performed.”It never comes alive until it’s on the stage. It’s one of the plays you have to see,” Spinner said. “We will have a plot summary and a list of the scenes in the program, so people will be able to follow what is going on.” Although the play is a comedy, it contains serious overtones about greed.”The situations are hilarious, but it’s basically about the power of money and the effect that it has,” Snider said.Spinner hopes to attract German students at Ohio State to come to the play but hopes to get other people from the community to come as well.”The German makes it a challenge to get it to come out like a play, but it’s really coming together,” Spinner said. “The story could easily happen anywhere that capitalism reigns. The characters are really funny and should make for a good show.””Der Besuch der altan Dame” will be performed on May 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. in Hagerty Hall, room 100. Admission is free. For more information call 292-1119 or 299-9415.