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

He particularly dedicates himself to 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 the ability to perceive self-evident occurrences and to describe them for what they really are upon closer inspection: small sensations of everyday life. Thus, this – seemingly barely noteworthy – encounter with God also develops into an entertaining ride through all the possibilities and impossibilities of daily life. Here too. Delicately and powerfully, he recounts an everyday experience that could happen to any of us. We sit in the park, and 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 containers, about God and the world, you know. The story could end here – if it weren't written by Axel Hacke. Because, as if by chance – and it’s no surprise with Hacke – a small office elephant, a smoking snake, people in drawers, an oversized wasp, a beautiful butterfly, just to name 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 important questions about the meaning, purpose, and entertainment value of our existence are largely answered. Except for one: Can a vegetarian feel sausage-y?

With Christoph Maasch and Hans Richter
Directed by: Rainer Ewerrien
Image: Michael Sowa (Cover design of the book published by Kunstmann)

Entrance at 7 PM

The Return of the Hellsingers

What? Already 20 years since the first Hellsongs shows?

Felt insane, but yet: In 2004 we played for the first time in a small barn, a bit outside of Gothenburg. Back then, "Dragostea din tei" was the biggest summer hit and the fascists were not yet a problem politically.

It feels like yesterday and at the same time like a utopian dream in the distance. We named our last album (2013) “These are evil times” and thought that the low point had been reached. We definitely ran out of steam for a while. But now, after a few years, we feel once again like the center of a good mood headquarters.

Suddenly, here we are again with a new album and a deep longing for live shows and a tour. We are not just older, but also much meaner. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a new album coming. In October, “The Return of the Hellsingers” will see the light of day – new and old songs about the theme of love, less hate, and much more togetherness. We are already looking forward to singing, dancing, and above all: smiling more with all of you.

Swing your funky pitchforks and come visit us.

Doors: 19:00

Photo: Corral Matute & Ries © private

A "Spanische Nacht" promises the title of the song evening by Monica Ries and Álvaro Corral Matute.

Monica Ries is known for repeatedly conceiving exciting and interesting, but also entertaining programs. The Frankfurt mezzo-soprano has primarily specialized in song programs alongside her opera and theater career.

With her wonderful companion at the piano, the Andalusian Álvaro Corral Matute, the choral director of the Frankfurt Opera, the singer has put together a dazzling evening with songs by Manuel de Falla, Federico Garcia Lorca, and Enrique Granados.

The program is rounded off by the moderation of Pablo O. Rodríguez Campos, who supports the two musicians with his empathetic explanations and active participation.

Entrance from 6:30 PM

(Un)visible:
Religion in Society
Digital Event Series

Nana Myrrhe: About Purity Culture and Purity Politics
Wed April 22, 2026, 7:30 PM–9:00 PM

In her book "Wet & Pious: The Dirty Secrets of Purity Culture," Nana Myrrhe discusses the obsession with chastity that shaped her life in free church fundamentalist circles. Through thorough research, she reveals the insidious methods of the Purity Culture ideology that take effect in conservative religious contexts and beyond.

· Nana Myrrhe, author, social worker, podcaster (fckprt)

Free admission.

Comedy at Stalburg Theater? No. Yes. Why not? That’s why our popular series “Der Montag in der Stalburg” features the equally popular format “Orange Stand-up Comedy” once a month. Orange Stand-up Comedy offers an evening full of entertainment. Newcomers and professionals from Frankfurt and the surrounding area share the stage, testing brand new jokes or presenting a part of their solo program – and all for a small fee. With the colorful mix of different comedians, everyone feels represented in some way – whether alone, on a date, or in a group. The format has made it its mission to make stand-up comedy known to a wider audience and to show that German humor can indeed be funny! So, if you're in the mood for some good laughter – come on over!

Doors open at 7 PM

The event takes place as a hybrid event.

Wednesday 22.04.26 / 19.30 h
Lena Gorelik: Alle meine Mütter
Moderator: Shirin Sojitrawalla
Hall ticket 12 / 8 Euro / Streaming ticket 5 Euro / Streaming subscription 50 Euro

The recipient of the Literature Houses Award 2026
The Literature Houses Award, endowed with €20,000, goes in 2026 to the writer Lena Gorelik. An award that has always also acknowledged how authors present themselves, how they show themselves to their audience. Now Lena Gorelik has presented a novel about mothers. Are it the mothers who hold the world together at its core? It is not the fathers. "Mothers," writes the award winner, "shape us, even if we do not want to ... We step on what we became thanks to or despite our mothers. They carry it forever with us." "Alle meine Mütter" (Rowohlt) tells of a special, often lifelong complex relationship and also about what kind of mothers we are trying to be ourselves. The conversation is moderated by the freelance literary critic Shirin Sojitrawalla.

Photo: © Thomas Dashuber

»I suffered from the same illness that women have suffered from for centuries: I too had tried to save a man.«

When Herzchen Goldberg, the celebrated writer from Munich, is sure of one thing, it's that her friend Toxi is the most beautiful man who has ever walked the earth – and the smartest to boot. No one can so perfectly cite Marxist theory and Foucault to make it clear to all who listen why, even in her early 40s, she feels unable to engage in gainful employment. But Herzchen is not entirely innocent in the fact that their relationship explodes every few weeks, for rarely does someone search as desperately for redemption through their partner as she does.
In Dana von Suffrin's new novel »Toxibaby«, two individuals who should never have found each other have done just that: Here is the star author, who revolves around her neurotic family in her books and does not realize that she has inherited all the bad habits of her parents. And there is the narcissist, whose rejection of bourgeois values is merely a facade for an uncontrollable rage at the world. Toxibaby sounds as if Jane Austen and Helmut Dietl conceived a hate baby – rarely has there been such a witty, diabolically clever, and analytical discourse on two lovers from good backgrounds and the neuroses of our present time.

Moderation: Björn Jager

Entrance: € 6,-/9,-/12,- (pay as you wish)

Dana von Suffrin was born in Munich in 1985 and studied in Munich, Naples, and Jerusalem. She has received numerous awards, including the Klaus-Michael-Kühne Prize (2019), the Ernst-Hoferichter Prize (2020), the Friedrich-Hölderlin Prize’s promotion award (2020), the Tukan Prize (2024), and the Chamisso Prize (2025). Toxibaby is her third novel, following »Otto« (2019) and »Nochmal von vorne« (2024). Dana von Suffrin lives in Munich.

Photo (c) Gunter Glücklich

Possibly remaining tickets at the box office

Taavi Orro (Clarinet)
Elijah Spies (Viola)
Shan-Chi Hsu (Piano)

Track3 emerged from our shared passion for chamber music and the curiosity to explore the possibilities of our unique ensemble. In addition to our desire to work on the existing clarinet-viola-piano repertoire, we focus on creating new works. Our previous artistic experiences have always been shaped by collaboration with composers, and we wish to provide them with a medium for their sonic explorations.

On the occasion of the 100th birthday of György Kurtág in 2026, we have designed a special program. The concert begins with a prominent work for this ensemble – Kurtág's "Hommage à R. Sch." op. 15d. Alongside this masterpiece, we frame the concert with two other homages: M. Stroppa's "Hommage à Gy. K", which is his bow to Kurtág's music, and C. Bray's "Blaze and Fall", a piece inspired by both Kurtág's and Stroppa's homages.

Between these "homages", we will perform two newly created compositions that we have commissioned. One of the works is by Hanurij Lee. This composition is based on the idea of "limited materials" and focuses on arranging small units in a loop form, consciously avoiding musical development. This allows each movement to stand alone and emphasizes the sonic relationships between the elements. Robin Völbel's new work, adapted from his piece "Sprach-Mittel" for large ensemble, deals with the relationship between spoken language and energetic instrumental motifs. A computer-controlled voice will be programmed with the piano keyboard, thus becoming the fourth instrument in the trio.

Photo © private

When writer Paul Sheldon kills off the main character of his successful novel series "Misery," he wants to dedicate himself to more demanding literature. But hardly has he completed a new, more profound book when he has an accident on an icy road in the Colorado mountains and becomes trapped in his car. Nurse Annie finds him, frees him from the wreckage while he is severely injured, and takes him to her remote farm to care for him.

It turns out that Annie is Paul's biggest fan and loves the character Misery above all else. That she had to die in the last novel is something she cannot accept, and she devises a plan. With brutal violence, she forces the helpless Paul to write another installment and bring Misery back to life. A game of mutual dependencies escalates further and further. Paul realizes that he must plan his greatest story yet: how to escape with his life.

In 1990, Stephen King's bestseller "Misery" was successfully adapted into a film starring Kathy Bates and James Caan. The screenplay was written by Oscar winner William Goldman, who also authored the stage play. It premiered on Broadway in 2015.

"It’s rarely loud. This is exquisite conversational theater. For now. It may be that some might think beforehand: Why did they need Katharina Wiedenhofer to choreograph a fight scene? Afterwards, you won’t think that anymore. Katharina Wiedenhofer has done a superb job." Standing ovations, also not a given in the Stalburg." (Judith von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau)

Doors open at 7 PM.

A current scene cabaret program of the Schmiere with Gabriele Meyer, Effi B. Rolfs, and Jan-Markus Dieckmann.
hart aber fake - ask your algorithm or simply go to the Schmiere.
20 fakes and facts, scenes and moments.

Photo: DanaMaria © Fortaeller, DanaMariaMusic

DanaMaria invites you to the “Starstruck Xperience” concert and celebrates the live premiere of her new album STARSTRUCK. In a special full-band show, the singer-songwriter opens the doors to her musical world and takes the audience on a magical journey between creative highs and quiet moments of reflection.

With her unique songs in Space Country Cowboy style, the Frankfurt native DanaMaria combines catchy pop melodies, powerful acoustic guitar strumming, and shimmering synthesizers into a modern, cross-genre sound. STARSTRUCK unfolds live an intense, intimate atmosphere – a musical road movie full of expansiveness, soul, and emotions.

Glitter is explicitly encouraged! Look forward to a special evening full of magic, music, and shared Starstruck moments.

Doors open at 6:30 PM

Geld als Waffe
Buchpräsentation im Disput
Thursday, April 23, 2026, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

A fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of the new world order and an exciting analysis that explains why the danger of war is currently so high – and what we can do in Europe to secure peace.
Ulrike Herrmann examines the major international conflicts in her new book, especially the economic crisis factors: how do wars arise? And how does peace arise?
She illustrates with the example of Russia how the economic development of the country makes permanent wars likely. And she describes the rise of China to a superpower and explains how President Xi has maneuvered his country into an economic dead end, which he tries to mask with his aggressions against Taiwan.
In her new book, Ulrike Herrmann shows the great importance of the economy for the politics of the superpowers. The pacifist and actor from the Martin Niemöller Foundation, Gerd Bauz, responds to Ulrike Herrmann.

With: Ulrike Herrmann, TAZ author; publicist, Berlin
Gerd Bauz, DFG-VK, Martin Niemöller Foundation, Frankfurt

9 Euro/ 7 EURO reduced.

Note: This concert is unseated (standing room only!).

Pop goes Big
NI-KA

Jörg Achim Keller | Conductor / Arrangements
NI-KA | Vocals

We are welcoming a newcomer from Frankfurt onto stage with us – and what a newcomer she is! NI-KA released her debut album last year, appeared on Stefan Raab's preliminary show for the ESC, and was featured on Moses Pelham's farewell album. Her warm, powerful voice is captivating. NI-KA's music, German-language Neo Soul with influences from Hip-Hop and Jazz, is heartfelt and groovy, her lyrics honest yet poetic.
Growing up in the South Palatinate, where her musical journey began in a gospel choir, NI-KA has now made Frankfurt her home for several years and is making a name for herself in the local music scene. She can be heard in the song "Alles verschwimmt" on Moses Pelham's album "Letzte Worte". In the preliminary round for the Eurovision Song Contest, she presented a skilled Michael Jackson cover and proved that she can not only sing wonderfully but also perform. However, she prefers to sing her own songs. From catchy beats and her deep, rough voice, she creates a distinctive sound that will gain a new dimension when performed with the hr-Bigband. Let yourself be inspired by a young talent!

Duration: about 80 minutes – no intermission!

Doors open: 19:00 After the concert begins, there is no guarantee of admission to the hall.

“The Times They Are a-Changin’” sang Bob Dylan, Chancellor Scholz spoke of a turning point, 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 free-spirited existence, they have managed to be married for more than 30 years. And that should stay that way now.

But how? The energetic Lore is passionately involved in the literary scene. The grumpy Harry, on the other hand, a retired building inspector, occasionally enjoys a wheat beer and lovingly tends to the delphinium in his garden. However, Lore fears that Harry might spend the rest of his life only lovingly tending to the delphinium in his garden and occasionally enjoying a wheat beer. So they tease each other through their days. Somewhat loving, while simultaneously getting on each other’s nerves.

But then something happens that brings the two back to pulling in the same direction: daughter Gloria is getting married. For the third time. And then to the snobby son of an “immobilien-dreckskerl,” as Harry puts it. But then he develops “a grim sense of fun about the whole thing” and sees it as “a refresher course for his old anti-capitalist fighting spirit.” So off to the wedding. In the old cord jacket, of course.

"A wonderfully flowing dialogue novel that ultimately weighs heavily. 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 while. "We had twenty happy years, five brave, two dreadful, and now our peace," she once summarized in “Brigitte.” From the novel, she then created a play that is now being performed for the first time in Frankfurt.*

With Katja Hufgard and Hans Richter
Director: Rainer Ewerrien

Doors open at 7 PM

STAHLMANN – SCHWARZ WIE DER TOD TOUR 2026

Stahlmann, known for their impressive NDH sound and uncompromising live shows, will go on tour again in 2026. With "Black as Death," the band presents a new chapter that will be darker, more intense, and more direct than ever before. Fans can look forward to dark energy, impressive live moments, and a show that goes deep under the skin. Be there when Stahlmann shakes the stage and sets a real highlight for the upcoming season with new songs and familiar hardness!

Doors open: 6:00 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

Foto: The Horst Sessions © privat

Curated by Fabian Habicht and Frederich Helbing, there will be a freshly mixed ensemble performing the opener set for Edition #83. Here, individuals will come together who most likely have never played together before. Thus, the first set is meant to resonate entirely in the spirit of the Horst Sessions. Collective improvisation, new connections, exchange, risk. The exact lineup will remain a surprise until shortly before the start.

The idea of the Horst Sessions is to provide a platform for the diversity, creativity, and experimental spirit of the Rhein/Main music scene and to present it live to an audience. A place for musicians, music lovers, music enthusiasts, open ears, and dry mouths. A place for exchange, getting to know each other, and inspiration.

After a short set by the opener band, the jam session will commence, and fellow musicians with their own instruments are warmly welcomed. On site, there are guitar and bass amplifiers, keys, mics, and a drum kit.

Doors open at 7:00 PM.

In 15 songs and texts, we provide an entertaining overview of the "Gesamtkunstwerk Knef." Carola Moritz (texts, vocals) and Stanislav Rosenberg (texts, electric piano) narrate the eventful life of Knef, tracing her career from post-war Berlin to Hollywood and back, depicting her success as a musical star on Broadway, and not neglecting her work as an author. There will be beautiful chansons by Knef, as well as Cole Porter adaptations and scenes from the musicals Silk Stockings and Cabaret. A "must" for all Knef fans and lovers of German chanson.

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