Theatertreffen 2012

The Berlin Theatertreffen is truly an Olympic event of German-language theatre. In accordance with its statutes, the festival invites theten most remarkable theatre productions from Germany, Austria and Switzerland to Berlin in May every year. This presentation of the best in German-language theatre is accompanied by a varied programme of further events: public debate with renowned guests from culture, politics and business creates links between theatre and social and political issues. Theatre fans come to the Haus der Berliner Festspiele to attend prize ceremonies, discussions with the audience, première parties and concerts.

The jury members of Theatertreffen 2012 were: Vasco Boenisch, Anke Dürr, Ulrike Kahle-Steinweh, Ellinor Landmann, Christoph Leibold, Christine Wahl and Franz Wille.

The ten productions selected for the Theatertreffen 2012 were:

- Before Your Very Eyes by Gob Squad, Gob Squad / Campo, Gent / Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin and other co-producers
- Faust I+II by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Directed by Nicolas Stemann | Salzburger Festspiele / Thalia Theater, Hamburg
- Cleansed / Crave / 4.48 Psychosis' by Sarah Kane, Directed by Johan Simons | Münchner Kammerspiele
- Hate Radio by Milo Rau, International Institute of Political Murder, Berlin, Zürich / Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre / Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin and other co-producers
- John Gabriel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen, Directed by Vegard Vinge, Ida Müller und Trond Reinholdtsen | Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin / Nordwind Platform and Festival and other co-producers
- Kill your Darlings! Streets of Berladelphia by René Pollesch, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin
- Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Directed by Karin Henkel | Münchner Kammerspiele
- Platonov by Anton Chekhov, Directed by Alvis Hermanis | Burgtheater, Vienna
- Spanish Fly by Franz Arnold and Ernst Bach, Directed by Herbert Fritsch | Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin
- An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, Directed by Lukas Langhoff | Theater Bonn


According to the new festival director Yvonne Büdenhölzer, time and the collective were the two dominant themes of the Theatertreffen 2012. But it also presented the classics, new texts and formats, debutants and children, the theatre collective – and very short pieces. The arrangement of the selected performances reflected the entire spectrum of production forms – from state and municipal theatres to the independent scene in today’s German-language theatre system – interdisciplinary, intercultural, performative.

The duration of the performances at the Theatertreffen ranged between 70 minutes and almost 12 hours. In response to the increasing speed of life and the pressure of modern society to multi-task, the theatre artists Julieta Aranda, Florian Opitz and Nicolas Stemann discussed the significance and management of time in art and society in the podium discussion “Waste My Time – The Art of Deceleration” on 15 May 2012.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Theatertreffen also held a four-day cultural policy forum titled “Politics Meets Theatre” from 10 to 14 May 2012, at which ten state and local cultural-policy decision makers discussed the impact of cultural policy on theatre in Germany

The tt Talente at the Theatertreffen provide a special platform for younger artists, while the Stückemarkt, as a “festival within the festival”, has been presenting new plays by undiscovered European authors since 1978. The International Forum and the Theatertreffen Blog offer young theatre professionals and critics an opportunity to further their careers. The fullday conference, the Talent Meeting, promotes exchange and networking for young theatre makers.