In the early 2000s, Berry said, a “little man” – Topf — began appearing outside German venues with a van, offering to pick up, wash and return the production’s clothes. Berry said that the items were returned “pristine and folded.” Soon after that, he invited Topf to join him on tour. “It’s very hard to find someone who is passionate about laundry,” Berry added. The biggest challenge of doing tour laundry, Topf explained, was the volume, which can vary unpredictably, and the need to work without fixed facilities. “I know every disabled bathroom in every German football stadium,” he said.

Source: New York Times January 22, 2019 08:21 UTC