A white stage from the side, a spotlight in the foreground, many more spotlights hanging in the background.

12.5.–
29.5.23

To the programme schedule
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The 2024 Theatertreffen

The next Theatertreffen is scheduled to take place from 3 to 19 May 2024. The 10 remarkable productions will be announced in late January / early February 2024. The programme will be published in April.

 To the Berliner Festspiele Media Library
An unfolded notebook with a view of the Berliner Festspiele Media Library stands on a table with a climbing plant.

View of the Berliner Festspiele Media Library

© Berliner Festspiele

Theatertreffen in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library

From 12 May until 7 September 2023, the TV-recordings of “Die Eingeborenen von Maria Blut”, “Ein Sommernachtstraum” and “Kinder der Sonne” – which make up 3sat’s “Starke Stücke” of 2023 – will be accessible via 3sat’s Media Library and the Berliner Festspiele Media Library. In addition, we present selected discourse events as live stream and/or video on demand in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library.

 To the Berliner Festspiele Media Library
 Explore the Theatertreffen-Blog
A garden with a big tree, beer benches, Hollywood swings and lots of people in the evening light

© Berliner Festspiele / Fabian Schellhorn

The Theatertreffen-Blog

Among other things, the Theatertreffen-bloggers addressed the question of cultural critique in the context of artificial intelligence, reflected on the festival format itself and its sustainability together, as well as the politics of invitation and exclusion that the institutionalised art establishment produces.

 Explore the Theatertreffen-Blog

Theatertreffen 2023

Impressions

In the focus is a flyer for the Theatertreffen folded into a fan, in the background the trees are reflected in the windows of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.
Theatertreffen 2023. © Fabian Schellhorn
The Theatertreffen 2023 directors, Olena Apchel, Carolin Hochleichter and Joanna Nuckowska, speak at the opening.
Olena Apchel, Carolin Hochleichter, Joanna Nuckowska. © Fabian Schellhorn
Jana Shostak has opened her mouth to scream and presents her dress, which depicts numerous black and white portraits.
Jana Shostak. © Fabian Schellhorn
Bird's eye view of the crowded place in front of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.
Theatertreffen 2023. © Fabian Schellhorn
The garden of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele at night, individual spotlights and fairy lights illustrate the leaves of the trees.
Theatertreffen 2023. © Fabian Schellhorn
The ensemble of "Das Vermächtnis (The Inheritance)" hold hands, ready to take a bow.
Das Vermächtnis (The Inheritance). © Fabian Schellhorn
The participants of the discussion "Postcolonialism in Ukrainian Culture" sit on the stage, the audience in front of them.
Theatertreffen 2023. © Fabian Schellhorn
Three performers from "Bunker Cabaret" dance on stage, the person in the middle holds a guitar.
Bunker Cabaret. © Fabian Schellhorn
Ward Weemhoff and Vincent Rietveld smiling and holding the accolade in honour of the artists and poster roll.
Ward Weemhoff, Vincent Rietveld. © Fabian Schellhorn
A collection, decorated with cloth and string, of handwritten texts and pictures of food.
Theatertreffen 2023. © Fabian Schellhorn
Sivan Ben Yishai is awarded the Theatre-Award-Berlin.
Sivan Ben Yishai is awarded the Theatre-Award-Berlin. © Fabian Schellhorn
The parquet in the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, on stage a huge statue of the Virgin Mary with two angels, the stage design of " Die Eingeborenen von Maria Blut ".
Stage design of " Die Eingeborenen von Maria Blut ". © Fabian Schellhorn
Anna Steller smiling with her eyes closed, arms spread downwards.
Anna Steller. © Aleko Gotscheff
A person in a colourful dress holds a bowl with flower petals and green twigs, people around.
Theatertreffen 2023. © Fabian Schellhorn
Mirjam Stängl stands next to three other people, a bouquet of flowers and 3sat prize in hand.
Mirjam Stängl is awarded the 3sat prize. © Fabian Schellhorn
The ensemble of "Zwiegespräch“ hand in hand and in pastel green and pink costumes.
Zwiegespräch. © Fabian Schellhorn
Olena Apchel and Carolin Hochleichter present the team of "Hamlet" with an accolade in honour of the artists.
Artists' accolade "Hamlet". © Fabian Schellhorn
Dominik Dos-Reis, winner of the Alfred-Kerr-Acting-Award, smiling next to juror Edgar Selge.
Juror Edgar Selge and Dominik Dos-Reis, winner of the Alfred-Kerr-Darstellerpreis. © Fabian Schellhorn
To the Digital Guide
A Theatertreffen banner is amidst trees and buildings.

© Berliner Festspiele, photo: Fabian Schellhorn

Who Has the Privilege to Not Know?

The question of “Who has the privilege to not know?” was of special significance during the concept phase of the 2023 festival edition. With no claims of being complete, this Digital Guide provides room for answers, viewpoints and considerations of young culture makers who attended the 2023 Theatertreffen in the context of the formats International Forum and Theatertreffen-Blog.

 To the Digital Guide

More Theatertreffen

Two vertical poles, each with two stage spotlights hanging from them.
Theatertreffen

The Theatertreffen

Berliner Festspiele’s Theatertreffen is a festival that wants to present theatre and dedicate itself to encounters (German: ‘Treffen’).

 More about Theatertreffen
The laced floor of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele with several curtains, photographed from below.
Theatertreffen

10 Productions

Each year, 10 remarkable productions are selected by an jury of critics from among around 450 shows within the German-language region and the viewing period.

 More about the 10 productions
The seven Theatertreffen jury members stand in a white room and look into the camera.
Theatertreffen

The Jury 2023

The Theatertreffen-jury chooses the 10 remarkable productions invited to Theatertreffen and consists of seven theatre critics.

 More about the jury 2023
Scaffolding on the façade of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele with illuminated neon tubes, photographed at night.
Theatertreffen

10 Treffen

A series of events and both artistic and creative interventions will open new resonance chambers for the long-standing Theatertreffen on a European level.

 More about the 10 Treffen
Theatertreffen

International Forum

The International Forum is the initial spark for global collaboration, alliances and actions as well as the platform for collective dialogue on global issues from diverse, local perspectives.

 More about the International Forum
A gauze attached to a scaffold obscures the view into the garden of the Berliner Festspiele. In the foreground is a ladder.
Theatertreffen

Theatertreffen-Blog

Selected authors and theatre enthusiasts will provide artistic and journalistic coverage of the Theatertreffen, focussing especially on the use of social media tools.

 More about the Theatertreffen-Blog
The Green Ambassadors 2022 are gathered for a group photo in front of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.
Theatertreffen

Green Ambassadors

The Forum Ecological Sustainability of Theatertreffen was created as a space for theatre makers to educate themselves and develop networks for issues of sustainable cultural production.

 More about the Green Ambassadors
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Welcome to the 2023 Theatertreffen

By Olena Apchel, Carolin Hochleichter, Joanna Nuckowska and Matthias Pees

This 60th festival edition will examine which topics, social processes and political transformations are shaping the theatre of today – and which encounters and exchanges of ideas can help to make them artistically productive. How can we create a safe, yet open space for a multitude of viewpoints on complicated issues of our times? Together with you, we would like to explore, discuss, expand and celebrate the theatre as a space of possibilities.

10 remarkable productions have been selected by a jury of critics from among around 450 new theatre shows in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. They will take us on a multifaceted expedition to discover the powerful world of performance and imagery in German-language theatre. Several topics raised by these 10 productions will be reflected in the series 10 Treffen (10 Meetings), which intends to open up spaces for encounter and resonance on a European scale. The events of this new format, including performances, conversations, an exhibition and interventions, will frame the 10 remarkable productions and each Treffen will have a central concept.

Our entire team has been of invaluable support during the festival’s preparations and we would like to thank them very much! And we also thank our partners: above all, the German Federal Cultural Foundation for their long-standing support of the festival, and the main sponsors and partners of the 10 Treffen-series – the Federal Agency for Civic Education/bpb and Goethe-Institut – as well as 3sat for our reliable and fruitful media partnership.

We are looking forward to 18 days of theatre and 18 days of discursive, performative and celebratory Treffen with you!

Greeting

Claudia Roth, Minister of State and Member of the German Bundestag, for the 2023 Theatertreffen

In 2023, we celebrate the 60th edition of Theatertreffen. It is a moment to pause and look back at decades of powerful theatrical experiences with pride. Theatertreffen has always been more than a gathering of dramatic excellence, virtuoso acting and creative superlatives from across the German-language region.

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Geeting

Katarzyna Wielga-Skolimowska and Kirsten Haß, German Federal Cultural Foundation, for the 2023 Theatertreffen

Tobi Müller – former member of the Theatertreffen-jury – described the situation of German-language theatre as a “fight for the future” in 2023. He said that the self-legitimation of the artistic form has brought the theatre into competition with other media of social communication. In the resulting struggle for its public voice, he claimed, contemporary theatre became involved in an increasingly shrill battle for attention in order to remain audible in society.

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Media Library

Jury Essay

In their essay “The Reconquest of Art in a Time of Uncertainty,” Petra Paterno and Sabine Leucht – jury members for this year’s Theatertreffen – examine theatre’s role in the midst of the polycrisis in general and the thematic positions of the 10 most notable productions in particular.

 To the jury essay

A Female Quota of 50 %

With its 2020 festival edition, the Theatertreffen introduced a female quota of at least 50 percent in the direction position for the ten remarkable productions. The jury and the festival’s directors have agreed to extend this rule for another year, up to and including the 2024 festival.

The book “Status Quote” lies on a wooden surface
Publication

Status Quote

The volume of debate essays “Status Quote. Theater im Umbruch: Regisseurinnen im Gespräch”, edited by Sabine Leucht, Petra Paterno and Katrin Ullmann and published at Henschel Verlag, presents all female directors who have been invited to Theatertreffen since the female quota was introduced in 2020. [Link auf Buch im

 To the webshop

The Theatertreffen Database 1964–2023

The Theatertreffen’s database lists every production, theatre and director invited to the festival since 1964 (in German).

 To the Theatertreffen Database

More Berliner Festspiele

Visual Shared Landscapes
Theatre, Performance, Music

Shared Landscapes

How can we approach the landscape without distancing ourselves at the same time? On eight dates in August and September, artistic interventions, sound compositions, choreographies and theatre propose a new relationship between humans and nature.

 To the performative walk
Indigo Waves and Other Stories: Re-Navigating the Afrasian Sea and Notions of Diaspora
Gropius Bau

Indigo Waves and Other Stories

Taking the stories and histories of the Indian Ocean as its departure point, the group exhibition “Indigo Waves and Other Stories: Re-Navigating the Afrasian Sea and Notions of Diaspora” investigates the links between the continents of Africa and Asia from 6 April to 13 August at Gropius Bau.

 Explore the exhibition
Logo Performing Exiles
Performing Exiles

The Festival Programme

From 15 to 25 June, the interdisciplinary festival Performing Exiles will examine the concept of exile in the light of continual global changes and multiple migration movements with the devices of theatre, performance, discourse and concert.

 Explore the programme