Theatric-O-Meter
The Theatertreffen has a reputation for attracting productions that are remarkable in at least one aspect, but what do these prodigious plays have in common? We've worked out some of the statistics so check them out and find out who the winner is.
May 21, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
Theatertreffen acting fact-file
The €5,000 Alfred-Kerr-Preis for the best performance at the Theatertreffen was awarded yesterday to Fabian Hinrichs. But among the copious and varied styles of acting how did they choose? Perhaps they took a page out of our fact-file.
May 21, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
Platonov: The premiere
Traditionally many of Chekhov's comedies have been interpreted as tragedies, but not so with Hermanis' Platonov. Through a brilliant cast, adept staging directions, and a wonderful set, he creates a humorous, slice of Russian upper-class in collapse.
May 21, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
The surtitle situation
Surtitles has always been a topic of heated debate. If executed properly, surtitles enhance the production and create a larger audience, but many times this is not the case. Maybe it's better to do away with them and enjoy the language of theatre.
May 21, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog (1 Comments)
Watching the clock
Theatertreffen director Yvonne Büdenhölzer named two defining features of this year’s choices: “Collective” and “Time”. Interestingly, the latter was expressed in a deliberately negative way by the festival itself: "Waste My Time".
May 18, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
Markus Wenzel and Markus Schäfer. Photo by Nadine Loës
We need to talk about Markus
Monday night saw the performance of the first-ever collective to be selected for the Theatertreffen’s Stückemarkt. Miriam gives us a peak into the repetitiously named Markus&Markus, Theatertreffen's chosen collective.
May 15, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
Photo by Piero Chiusi
Running the Faust-Marathon
Director Nicolas Stemann appeared on stage with a microphone at the start of nearly every section of his Faust I+II to explain the plot of Goethe’s two-part tragedy bit by bit as the performance unravelled. Miriam explains to you now.
May 14, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
The D-Word
Miriam has given herself a task during her year in Berlin to find the answer to a question that has been bothering her for a while: What Is A Dramaturg?
May 13, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
A failed attempt to sum up John Gabriel Borkman
Twelve hours of theater. At once. Miriam Sherwood – super-trooper Theatertreffen blogger or total masochist? Here's her sum-up of the trial in five parts: Discomfort, Boredom, Fascination, Confusion, Amusement, Exhaustion, and Awe.
May 13, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
Stückemarkt opening and round one: Wolfram Höll/Pamela Carter
Who needs the Stückemarkt? We do! Miriam reports from the front lines of the opening night!
May 11, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
Questions from an Ausländer
Second English-language blogger Kyoko Iwaki wants to introduce herself to you. And to German-theatre in general. She did the latter by sitting down with Vasco Boenisch, one of the seven Theatertreffen jury members.
May 11, 2012 by Kyoko Iwaki in The Theatertreffen Blog
“I’m an anorexic writer”: Interview with Pamela Carter
Miriam gives a glimpse into the creative minds of Theatertreffen. Carter is a UK playwright, director, and dramaturg. Her 2009 play Skåne was selected by this year’s TT Stückemarkt jury as one of this year’s five selected entries.
May 10, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
Photo by Miriam Sherwood
Opening night triple bill
Theatertreffen kicked off last night with a Sarah Kane triple bill – Gesäubert/Gier/4.48 Psychose (Cleansed/Crave/4.48 Psychosis). Lanterns, intrigue and frustration, as well as a singing interlude by Sandra Hüller, were in the mix.
May 5, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog (2 Comments)
Photo by Julian Röder
Theatertreffen, we have lift-off!
German's biggest theatre festival takes flight today. For the next three weeks, in cooperation with Theatertreffen Blog, this spot will be a flurry of drama and drama about drama! Miriam from TT Blog has all the latest.
May 4, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog (1 Comments)
Theatertreffen 2012: Miriam illuminates what's coming
Theatertreffen may be over two months away, but that doesn't mean that the theatre scene isn't bustling wildly about in preparation for it (May 4-20). Theatertreffen Blog is partnering with Exberliner to give you the English lowdown.
Feb 24, 2012 by Miriam Sherwood in The Theatertreffen Blog
Theatertreffenblog: Getting to know you
The term “audience development” is a new one in Germany – so new, there’s not even one of those wonderful German compound words for it. And theatermakers are starting to ask themselves:Who is our audience? And how do we find them?
May 25, 2011 by Cory Tamler in The Berlin Blog
Theatertreffenblog: Art is magic / It cannot succeed
Can a European really make a play that subjectively examines cultural exchange between Europe and Africa? Schlingensief ponders this dilemma from beyond the grave.
May 24, 2011 by Matt Cornish in The Berlin Blog
Theatertreffenblog: Faust in Ethnic Drag?
Can a person who looks “Turkish” play classic “German” roles believably – I mean believable for white-bread, bourgeois audiences?
May 23, 2011 by Matt Cornish in The Berlin Blog (2 Comments)
Theatertreffenblog: Staging the gender imbalance
From the theme of the Talentetreffen, to a women-in-directing exhibit, to yesterday’s “Feminism: Today a Dirty Word?” discussion and more, gender has been a big topic at this year’s Theatertreffen.
May 20, 2011 by Cory Tamler in The Berlin Blog
Theatertreffenblog: I saw the Lion King: American theater through German eyes
During Friday night’s discussion in HAU 2, a panel debated the state of the “free theater scene” in Germany. Here’s my problem with the problems: in searching for answers, Germany isn’t looking any farther than its own backyard.
May 16, 2011 by Cory Tamler in The Berlin Blog
Theatertreffenblog: A “post-migrant theatre” lexicon
What’s so hot about postmigrantisches Theater? This lexicon provides a little introduction to the immigration debate currently raging in Germany.
May 12, 2011 by Cory Tamler in The Berlin Blog
Theatertreffenblog: Booing, wtf?
What's up with booing? Florian Duijsens watches Schauspiel Köln's The Cherry Orchard and tries to make sense of a Theatertreffen tradition.
May 11, 2011 by Florian Duijsens in The Berlin Blog (3 Comments)
Theatertreffenblog: Waters rising
Elfriede Jelinek and Karin Beier explore natural, man-made disasters.
May 10, 2011 by Matt Cornish in The Berlin Blog
Theatertreffenblog: Write a play, practice remembrance
Matt Cornish sits down for a short discussion with Polish playwright Małgorzata Sikorska-Miszczuk after the staged reading of her play Burmistrz, The Mayor.
May 10, 2011 by Matt Cornish in The Berlin Blog
Theatertreffenblog: U-S-A!
A German, a Pole, a Romanian and an Englishman sit down for a discussion in front of an audience in Berlin.
May 10, 2011 by Matt Cornish in The Berlin Blog