To call him a bestselling author would be a gross understatement. While he is one of the most well-known and amusing German-language columnists, having perhaps achieved millions of copies sold with books like "Der kleine Erziehungsberater," "Die Wumbaba-Trilogie," "Aua!" or currently "Über die Heiterkeit in schwierigen Zeiten und die Frage, wie wichtig uns der Ernst des Lebens sein sollte," in truth, he is much more than just a successful author. Axel Hacke is a grandmaster of quiet observation.

He enjoys dedicating himself to ordinary occurrences that are hardly worth mentioning. Faithful to the motto of the great journalist Egon Erwin Kisch, "Nothing is more exciting than the truth," he has the ability to perceive seemingly obvious events and describe them for what they are upon closer inspection: small sensations of everyday life. Thus, this – actually hardly noteworthy – encounter with God evolves into an entertaining journey through all the possibilities and impossibilities of daily life. The same goes here. Tender and powerful, he narrates an everyday experience that could happen to all of us. We sit in the park, and suddenly God strolls by. He sits down next to us, and we start a conversation. We talk about this and that, about the weather, about raspberries, and about glass recycling bins, about God and the world, you know. The story could end here – were it not written by Axel Hacke. Because, quite incidentally – and not surprising for Hacke – a small office elephant, a smoking snake, people in drawers, an oversized wasp, a beautiful butterfly, to name just a few, appear. Thus, we learn rather casually what holds the world together at its core (“Das Große Egal”), that God enjoys drinking champagne, and that God's attempt to create a world consisting solely of twenty-three-year-old secretaries failed.

In the end, all the important questions about the meaning, purpose, and entertainment value of our existence are largely answered. Except for one: Can a vegetarian feel sausage-like?

With Christoph Maasch and Sven Marko Schmidt
Director: Rainer Ewerrien

Doors open at 7 PM

Unfortunately canceled. Tickets will be refunded.

"Growing old is only for others!"

Content:
Innocently and unaware, Claudia Jacobacci jumps right into menopause, more precisely into perimenopause, and suddenly finds herself lost with herself and her life. This life phase, in the truest sense of the word, leaves no woman “cold,” as the actress brings this theme to the stage in her solo program “the hot years” with a lot of joy and also a bit of frustration.

From initial doubts: “Menopause? Yuck! I still get my periods!” to discovering new possibilities in this life phase, it's quite a journey… a path of usage with ups and downs.

As tempting as eternal spring may be, it only has one May! And so she sets off on the rollercoaster of hormones heading towards late summer – of course always towards the sun and with a glass of sparkling mineral water in hand... Welcome to menopause!

By & with:
Claudia Jacobacci

Direction:
Katja Willebrand

About the artist:
Claudia Jacobacci, born and raised in a suburb of Frankfurt and then a longtime Bavarian since 2000, was a member of the München Laugh and Shooting Society. Since 2008, she has participated in numerous plays in the “Barock am Main” ensemble co-founded by Michael Quast in Frankfurt. As an author and performer, she regularly appears on reading stages and in the independent theater scene. With her own dance theater project, she toured through France and Germany. Furthermore, Claudia Jacobacci is a versatile speaker, now back in Frankfurt.

Sold out. Remaining tickets may be available at the box office.

A cooking satire by Michael Herl

Dr. Kögel: Ilja Kamphues
Directed by: Manfred Roth
Set design/Lighting: Herbert Huber
Photos: Harald Schröder

A production of Stalburg Theater in collaboration with Hessischer Rundfunk

Premiered on September 26, 2002 at Stalburg Theater

Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Malte Anders - GENERATION ARSCHGEWEIH
Once there were more lava lamps, the 90s show

The millennials are taking over world domination. In executive offices and chancellorships, the first "Sebastians" and "Nadines" are appearing. But is the world ready for a horde of Disney-fied, buttoned-pants wearers who are mainly known in history for collecting Diddl mouse paper?

Malte Anders passionately glides on roller skates through the late 80s and 90s, taking his audience unrestrainedly “back to the future” while confronting the existential questions of Generation Y:
When did the unicorns go extinct? How long do Tamagotchis live? And: can vegetarians shoot grouse?

“Generation Arschgeweih” is a tribute to the questionable years of madness, vaccinations, sex, plastic, and DJ Bobo.
A cabaret inventory of a generation that could soon change our world, if only the modem would finally connect!

By and with Timo Schweitzer alias “Malte Anders”
Directed by: Maja Wolff

“The Times They Are a-Changin’” sang Bob Dylan, Chancellor Scholz spoke of a turning point in time, Wolf Biermann knew “only those who change remain true to themselves.” And Lore and Harry? A lot has changed for them too. They have aged, their wild times are over, their Summer of Love has turned into late autumn. After all, despite all the adversities of their free-spirited existence, they have managed to stay married for more than 30 years. And that should remain the case.

But how? The industrious Lore is heavily involved in the literary scene. The grumpy Harry, on the other hand, a retired building supervisor, occasionally enjoys a wheat beer and lovingly tends to the delphinium in his garden. Lore fears, however, that Harry might only care for the delphinium in his garden and occasionally enjoy a wheat beer for the rest of his life. Thus, they tease each other through their days. Somewhat lovingly, yet simultaneously getting on each other's nerves.

But then something happens that brings them back together: Daughter Gloria is getting married. And for the third time. And then to the snobby son of a “real estate jerk,” as Harry puts it. But then he finds “a grim pleasure in the whole thing” and sees it as “a revitalization for his old anti-capitalist fighting spirit.” So off to the wedding. And indeed in the old cord jacket.

"A wonderfully flowing dialog novel that ultimately carries weight. A stage-worthy capriccio." Mathias Schreiber, “Der Spiegel”

*Elke Heidenreich wrote the novel “Alte Liebe” together with her old love Bernd Schroeder, with whom she was happily married for a good while. "We had twenty happy years, five brave, two terrible, and now our peace," she once summarized in “Brigitte.” From the novel, she then developed a play that is now being performed for the first time in Frankfurt.*

With Katja Hufgard and Detlev Nyga
Direction: Rainer Ewerrien

Doors open at 7 PM

Comedy - Pitch black, wicked, versatile, and guaranteed to be politically incorrect

"Hackenbusch", a socially anxious mama's boy or sometimes a multitoxic urban drifter.
Quirky, otherworldly, with plenty of wordplay and deeper than one might suspect, the audience is hit with the obligatory social criticism in the form of human weaknesses and depths. It becomes clear time and again why comedy and tragedy are neighbors.
Written and performed by Tim Karasch

To call him a bestselling author would be a gross understatement. While he is one of the most well-known and amusing German-speaking columnists, having achieved millions of copies sold with books such as "Der kleine Erziehungsberater," "Die Wumbaba-Trilogie," "Aua!" or currently "Über die Heiterkeit in schwierigen Zeiten und die Frage, wie wichtig uns der Ernst des Lebens sein sollte," he is, in truth, much more than just a successful author. Axel Hacke is a grandmaster of quiet observation.

He enjoys focusing on ordinary events that are hardly worth mentioning. Faithful to the guiding principle of the great journalist Egon Erwin Kisch, "Nothing is more exciting than the truth," he has a talent for perceiving and describing self-evident occurrences as what they truly are upon closer inspection: small sensations of everyday life. This – actually hardly noteworthy – encounter with God also turns into an entertaining tour de force through all possibilities and impossibilities of daily life. So it is here. Tender yet forceful, he depicts an everyday experience that could happen to any of us. We are sitting in the park when suddenly God strolls by. He sits down beside us, and we start a conversation. We talk about this and that, about the weather, about raspberries and about glass recycling bins, about God and the world, as it were. The story could end here – were it not written by Axel Hacke. For quite by chance – and not surprisingly for Hacke – a small office elephant, a smoking snake, people in drawers, an oversized wasp, a beautiful butterfly, to name just a few, appear. We learn quite incidentally what holds the world together at its core (“Das Große Egal”), that God enjoys drinking champagne, and that God’s attempt to create a world made solely of twenty-three-year-old secretaries was unsuccessful.

In the end, all the important questions regarding the meaning, purpose, and entertainment value of our existence are largely answered. Except for one: Can a vegetarian feel sausage-like?

With Christoph Maasch and Sven Marko Schmidt
Directed by: Rainer Ewerrien

Doors open at 7 PM

New scenes and songs from Die Schmiere
Cabaret, satire, and sung performances

With "In Stöckelschuhen durchs Himbeereis", Die Schmiere presents a cabaret scene program about the absurdities and pitfalls of modern life. A program about the small and large mishaps of the private sphere, the great dangers and wrong turns of public life. About the delusion and also the dumbing down in our colorful, dazzling media world.
And when words fail, language breaks down, a visitor from the capital comes and it will be sung.
Special guest: Horst Blue
On stage: Christina Wiederhold, Georg Keim, and Matthias Stich

Die Dämonie der Liebe – Martin Heidegger & Hannah Arendt
A play by Ralph Günther Mohnnau
Duration: 70 min. without intermission
Director: Pernilla Raue-Deppeler
Music: Matthias Raue
Cast: Celia Hirt, Jochen Nötzelmann

In the autumn of 1924, the young and beautiful student Hannah Arendt attends the lecture of the celebrated rebellious philosopher Martin Heidegger. What occurs is what Heidegger referred to as "the sudden lightning," that glance with which lovers recognize one another. "The demonic has struck me," he writes to Hannah Arendt, "never has anything like this happened to me before." Hannah Arendt, "the girl from abroad," succumbs to the "dark fascination" of Heidegger, the "wizard of Meßkirch."

The political circumstances force the lovers in opposite directions. Heidegger allies himself with National Socialism, becoming rector of the University of Freiburg. Hannah Arendt, pushed to the margins of society as a Jew, manages to leave Germany with some luck.

After their reunion in 1950 in Freiburg - Hannah Arendt now a world-famous, award-winning publicist; Heidegger, reviled and despised as a Nazi, subjected to a teaching ban - their relationship resumes.

A love of betrayal and the passion of thought.

A love that, despite everything, lasts a lifetime and is unshakeable.

Awarded the "Heidelberg Student Kiss" as part of the Heidelberg Theater Days 2015.

Venus im Pelz (Venus In Furs) by David Ives

Thomas, a young author and director, has written a play: "Venus im Pelz", an adaptation of the novella of the same name by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch from 1870. The protagonist of the story is Severin von Kusiemski, who submits himself physically and psychologically to the wealthy widow Wanda von Dunajew. At the end of a day full of unsuccessful auditions, a young actress appears in Thomas' rehearsal room - Wanda Jordan. Thomas is not particularly impressed by her. But Wanda not only has unusually great talent, a cleverly equipped wardrobe, and impressive background knowledge, she also has an extremely strong will. Thus, her emotionally charged audition turns into a power struggle, where the boundaries between fantasy and reality, seduction and power become increasingly permeable.

This erotic comedy is based on the eponymous Broadway play by American author David Ives, which in turn was adapted from the Austrian writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch.

Doors open: 7:00 PM

New scenes and songs from Die Schmiere
Cabaret, satire, and sung performances

With "In Stöckelschuhen durchs Himbeereis", Die Schmiere presents a cabaret scene program about the absurdities and pitfalls of modern life. A program about the small and large mishaps of the private sphere, the great dangers and wrong turns of public life. About the delusion and also the dumbing down in our colorful, dazzling media world.
And when words fail, language breaks down, a visitor from the capital comes and it will be sung.
Special guest: Horst Blue
On stage: Christina Wiederhold, Georg Keim, and Matthias Stich

Venus im Pelz (Venus In Furs) by David Ives

Thomas, a young author and director, has written a play: "Venus im Pelz", an adaptation of the novella of the same name by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch from 1870. The protagonist of the story is Severin von Kusiemski, who submits himself physically and psychologically to the wealthy widow Wanda von Dunajew. At the end of a day full of unsuccessful auditions, a young actress appears in Thomas' rehearsal room - Wanda Jordan. Thomas is not particularly impressed by her. But Wanda not only has unusually great talent, a cleverly equipped wardrobe, and impressive background knowledge, she also has an extremely strong will. Thus, her emotionally charged audition turns into a power struggle, where the boundaries between fantasy and reality, seduction and power become increasingly permeable.

This erotic comedy is based on the eponymous Broadway play by American author David Ives, which in turn was adapted from the Austrian writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch.

Doors open: 7:00 PM

Three couples - one evening. The first couple is newly in love, the second struggles with everyday life, and the third with being a couple. No wonder they invite you to a "couples' evening." How lovely! But as the saying goes, nothing is so beautiful that it couldn't be even more beautiful. Thus, not only do the dynamics between the pairs wonderfully heat up the preparations, but also the shared past ensures that the evening inevitably heads towards a disaster. But with good Rioja, of course. Couples' evening indeed!

Stefani Kunkel and Julian W. König play all three couples with versatility, laying bare the different stages of being a pair in a brutally funny manner.

Anne: What are you doing here?
Georg: Living here.
Anne: Already?
Georg: I could leave early today.
Anne: I see.

Boredom certainly doesn't come for a second with actors who convincingly portray overwhelmed couples, making die-hard singles wonder: "How can people put themselves through something like this?" Claudia Schülke, FAZ

"A small feat in itself with a view of the gutted subject" Stefan Michalzik, FR

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Die Dämonie der Liebe – Martin Heidegger & Hannah Arendt
A play by Ralph Günther Mohnnau
Duration: 70 min. without intermission
Director: Pernilla Raue-Deppeler
Music: Matthias Raue
Cast: Celia Hirt, Jochen Nötzelmann

In the autumn of 1924, the young and beautiful student Hannah Arendt attends the lecture of the celebrated rebellious philosopher Martin Heidegger. What occurs is what Heidegger referred to as "the sudden lightning," that glance with which lovers recognize one another. "The demonic has struck me," he writes to Hannah Arendt, "never has anything like this happened to me before." Hannah Arendt, "the girl from abroad," succumbs to the "dark fascination" of Heidegger, the "wizard of Meßkirch."

The political circumstances force the lovers in opposite directions. Heidegger allies himself with National Socialism, becoming rector of the University of Freiburg. Hannah Arendt, pushed to the margins of society as a Jew, manages to leave Germany with some luck.

After their reunion in 1950 in Freiburg - Hannah Arendt now a world-famous, award-winning publicist; Heidegger, reviled and despised as a Nazi, subjected to a teaching ban - their relationship resumes.

A love of betrayal and the passion of thought.

A love that, despite everything, lasts a lifetime and is unshakeable.

Awarded the "Heidelberg Student Kiss" as part of the Heidelberg Theater Days 2015.

Long gone are the days when the topic of "Boy meets Girl" was considered a clever idea for a film or play. Just think of "Romeo and Juliet" or "Harry and Sally". That was then. Today, one must think further. Does Sally's faked orgasm fall into the "Me Too" category, because Harry pressured her into it? And then there's Shakespeare. With "Do young men love with eyes only?", he must have meant the "little despots", as Friedrich Merz called migrant sons. This needs to be addressed in a film or production!

In short: It's not easy being a director these days. Or a director? Or a director*? Or a director:in? Or a director_in? Okay. Let's go with director-person. Margarete and Heiner, the two actors, have an even harder time. They stand on our stage faced with a wealth of material on lovely themes like Gender Madness, Me Too, Feminism, Patriarchy, and even "Male and female street trees" - and are expected to turn it into a play.

Yet, it could be so simple - because all people are equal. Great. Then let's stick with Friedrich Schiller, and all people become brethren. Okay. But why not sisters? So, perhaps not that straightforward after all.

Doors open at 7:00 PM

The stake is the soul. What are we betting our souls on today? Greed, consumption, intoxication, power, eternal youth, clicks on Instagram and TikTok? Faust is in a crisis, depressed and bored with life; he promises Mephisto his soul if he can free him from his dissatisfaction and bring new momentum to his life. "Top, the bet is on." Mephisto seizes the opportunity and seals the pact with blood. As agreed with God, he tries to lead Faust astray. He rushes with him from event to event, from Auerbach's cellar to the witch's kitchen, and there transforms him back into a young man. He shows him in the mirror the image of a young woman whom Faust immediately falls in love with. Mephisto, with Martha's help, facilitates their acquaintance, and Faust overwhelms her with gifts, jewelry, clothing. Gretchen is seduced, blinded by Faust's demeanor and presence. He has no scruples. To spend a night with her, Mephisto provides Faust with a sleeping potion for the mother. She dies from it, and Gretchen becomes pregnant - the catastrophe takes its course...

New scenes and songs from Die Schmiere
Cabaret, satire, and sung performances

With "In Stöckelschuhen durchs Himbeereis", Die Schmiere presents a cabaret scene program about the absurdities and pitfalls of modern life. A program about the small and large mishaps of the private sphere, the great dangers and wrong turns of public life. About the delusion and also the dumbing down in our colorful, dazzling media world.
And when words fail, language breaks down, a visitor from the capital comes and it will be sung.
Special guest: Horst Blue
On stage: Christina Wiederhold, Georg Keim, and Matthias Stich

To call him a bestselling author would be a gross understatement. While he is one of the most well-known and amusing German-speaking columnists, having achieved millions of copies sold with books such as "Der kleine Erziehungsberater," "Die Wumbaba-Trilogie," "Aua!" or currently "Über die Heiterkeit in schwierigen Zeiten und die Frage, wie wichtig uns der Ernst des Lebens sein sollte," he is, in truth, much more than just a successful author. Axel Hacke is a grandmaster of quiet observation.

He enjoys focusing on ordinary events that are hardly worth mentioning. Faithful to the guiding principle of the great journalist Egon Erwin Kisch, "Nothing is more exciting than the truth," he has a talent for perceiving and describing self-evident occurrences as what they truly are upon closer inspection: small sensations of everyday life. This – actually hardly noteworthy – encounter with God also turns into an entertaining tour de force through all possibilities and impossibilities of daily life. So it is here. Tender yet forceful, he depicts an everyday experience that could happen to any of us. We are sitting in the park when suddenly God strolls by. He sits down beside us, and we start a conversation. We talk about this and that, about the weather, about raspberries and about glass recycling bins, about God and the world, as it were. The story could end here – were it not written by Axel Hacke. For quite by chance – and not surprisingly for Hacke – a small office elephant, a smoking snake, people in drawers, an oversized wasp, a beautiful butterfly, to name just a few, appear. We learn quite incidentally what holds the world together at its core (“Das Große Egal”), that God enjoys drinking champagne, and that God’s attempt to create a world made solely of twenty-three-year-old secretaries was unsuccessful.

In the end, all the important questions regarding the meaning, purpose, and entertainment value of our existence are largely answered. Except for one: Can a vegetarian feel sausage-like?

With Christoph Maasch and Sven Marko Schmidt
Directed by: Rainer Ewerrien

Doors open at 7 PM

New scenes and songs from Die Schmiere
Cabaret, satire, and sung performances

With "In Stöckelschuhen durchs Himbeereis", Die Schmiere presents a cabaret scene program about the absurdities and pitfalls of modern life. A program about the small and large mishaps of the private sphere, the great dangers and wrong turns of public life. About the delusion and also the dumbing down in our colorful, dazzling media world.
And when words fail, language breaks down, a visitor from the capital comes and it will be sung.
Special guest: Horst Blue
On stage: Christina Wiederhold, Georg Keim, and Matthias Stich

A cooking satire by Michael Herl

Dr. Kögel: Ilja Kamphues
Directed by: Manfred Roth
Set design/Lighting: Herbert Huber
Photos: Harald Schröder

A production of Stalburg Theater in collaboration with Hessischer Rundfunk

Premiered on September 26, 2002 at Stalburg Theater

Doors open at 7:00 p.m.