Theatertreffen 2013

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.

In 2013, the Theatertreffen celebrated its 50th anniversary. For more than five decades, the festival has provided an overview of artistic developments at German-language theatres, while at the same time establishing itself as a festival for the audience, a trade fair for theatre professionals and a platform for new talents. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Theatertreffen, there was a series of special events.

The jury members of Theatertreffen 2013 were: Vasco Boenisch, Anke Dürr, Ulrike Kahle-Steinweh, Daniele Muscionico, Christoph Leibold, Christine Wahl and Franz Wille.

The ten selected productions were:

-Disabled Theater by Jérôme Bel / Theater Hora – Stiftung Züriwerk, Zurich. R. B. Jérôme Bel / Theater Hora – Stiftung Züriwerk, Zurich / Hebbel am Ufer, Berlin and others
-Die heilige Johanna der Schlachthöfe (Saint Joan of the Stockyards) by Bertolt Brecht. Directed by Sebastian Baumgarten. Schauspielhaus Zürich.
-Jeder stirbt für sich allein (Alone in Berlin) after Hans Fallada. Directed by Luk Perceval. Thalia Theater Hamburg.
-Krieg und Frieden (War and Peace) after Lew Tolstoi. Directed by Sebastian Hartmann. Schauspiel Leipzig / Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen.
-Medea by Euripides. Directed by Michael Thalheimer. Schauspiel Frankfurt.
-Murmel Murmel (Mumble Mumble) after Dieter Roth. Directed by Herbert Fritsch. Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin.
-Orpheus steigt herab (Orpheus Descending) by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Sebastian Nübling. Münchner Kammerspiele.
-Die Ratten (The Rats) by Gerhart Hauptmann. Directed by Karin Henkel. Schauspiel Köln.
-Reise durch die Nacht (Night Train) by Friederike Mayröcker. Directed by Katie Mitchell. Schauspiel Köln.
-Die Straße. Die Stadt. Der Überfall. (The Street. The City. The Attack) Directed by Johan Simons. Münchner Kammerspiele.

Yvonne Büdenhölzer, Director of the Theatertreffen, about this year’s selection: "For half a century, the Theatertreffen has been celebrating the most outstanding and pioneering productions of German-language theatre. The 50th edition of the festival continues to reflect the vitality and diversity of the German-language theatrical landscape. One of the most remarkable features of this year’s selection is a return to substantial material and stories, to classics and modern classics – flanked by devised projects and new texts. At the centre of these production often lies a renewed investigation of social issues or values."

Under the title TT Talente, the Theatertreffen gives up-and-coming artists their own platform: the Stückemarkt, which first took place in 1978, presents new plays by undiscovered European playwrights in a "festival within a festival" and has also featured a guest theatre project since 2012. During the 2013 festival, the 35th anniversary of the Stückemarkt was also celebrated. Playwrights from the last 35 years received a work commission for a new play, took stock of the past years in creative writing for the stage and looked towards future developments.

The International Forum and the Theatertreffen-Blog offer young theatre-makers and critics the opportunity to develop their professional experience.