German theater company returns to China with two productions

Director Herbert Fritsch's Der Die Mann.[Photo provided to China Daily]

When Berliner Theatertreffen came to China for the first time in 2016, more than 9,300 people watched the performances of the three plays, namely Deutsches Theater Berlin's version of Waiting for Godot, Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin's Common Ground and Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg's John Gabriel Borkman. More than 4,700 people took part in accompanying programs, such as talks and workshops.

Jury member Clemens Treter, director of the Goethe Institute in China, says: "When selecting the performances we have several aims in mind. On the one hand, we look for plays that are aesthetically and by content accessible for a Chinese audience. On the other hand, we would also like to present the broad range of theater productions that exist in the German speaking area".

The other juries for this year's Theatertreffen in China also include Meng Jinghui, a renowned director in China; Daniel Richter, a co-director of the Theatertreffen; and Yu Rongjun, deputy general manager of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center.

Regarding the two productions to be staged in China, Treter notes that Der Die Mann, based on texts by the late Austrian writer and poet Konrad Bayer, is a stimulating feast of sound, color, images, wordplay and dramatic performance from the famous theater, Berlin Volksb��hne. Tripping Stones State Theatre represents the finest of German documentary theater, taking a close look at the history of one German theater house, the Badisches Staatsschauspiel in Karlsruhe. Both productions have toured not only in Germany, but also internationally.

"It is my vision that this platform will be expanded and developed. We show theater not only in its excellency, but also in its experiment. In short, my vision is to reveal a glimpse of the future of theater, to instigate all the players on the field, next to showing the best of what German theater has to offer today," says artistic director Oberender.

If you go

Der Die Mann, 7:30 pm, June 7 and 8.

Tripping Stones State Theater, 7:30 pm, July 7 and 8.

Where: Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, 9 Tianqiao Nandajie (South street), Xicheng district, Beijing; 400-635-3355.