It seems that, despite the ongoing criticism, the Münchner Kammerspiele are doing something right. Two of their recent productions are invited to the 55th Berliner Theatertreffen – Trommeln in der Nacht by Bertolt Brecht, directed by Christopher Rüping, and Mittelreich with an all-black cast, based on the novel by Josef Bierbichler and the production by Anna-Sophie Mahler, directed by Anta Helena Recke. Only ten outstanding productions from theatres all over Germany are chosen every year. (Reviews of both productions can be found on this website.)

Courtesy of Thomas Aurin.

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When Israeli director Yael Ronen began rehearsals for her first production at the Kammerspiele in July 2016, there was no play yet, only a title. The first three weeks were spent on research and discussion, mainly about relationships today and the influence of technological developments on the future of sex: dating apps, body implants and cybersex. But when David S. went on a killing spree at a shopping centre in Munich on 22 July 2016, people thought Munich had become the first German target of a major terrorist attack. Presumably, there was more than one perpetrator targeting sites all over the city. This information proved to be wrong, yet rumours and speculation spread fear and panic through the channels of the social media. After this incident, the theme of the production changed dramatically – this presumed terrorist attack became the “point of no return” in Yael Ronen’s production.

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Hungarian born director David Marton started out as a musician for stage directors like Frank Castorf and Christoph Marthaler before developing projects of his own. Moving freely between theatre and opera, Marton’s production His Fairy Queen, oder hätte ich Glenn Gould nicht kennen gelernt (The Fairy-Queen, or hadn’t I met Glenn Gould), after Henry Purcell, was invited to the Zurich Theater Spektakel festival in 2006 and the Impulse festival in 2007. In 2009, the theatre magazine Die Deutsche Bühne chose David Marton as Opera Director of the Year for his production Don Giovanni. Keine Pause (Don Giovanni. No Break). In 2015/16 David Marton founded the Opera House of the Kammerspiele and directed La Sonnambula and Figaros Hochzeit.

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Toshiki Okada, one of the most important Asian directors, presents his latest work, Nō Theater, at the Kammerspiele. A stage director and author, Okada founded the theatre group chelfitsch – a pun on the word “selfish”, in 1997. His poetic-musical work focuses on the societal problems of contemporary Japan and is greatly influenced by Bertolt Brecht’s Verfremdungseffekt, often tearing down the fourth wall. His productions have received various awards. Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner and the Farewell Speech (2009), Current Location (2012) and Ground and Floor (2013) have all been shown in Europe, Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich (2014) was presented at the festival Theater der Welt in Mannheim.

Courtesy of Münchner Kammerspiele.

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