Theatertreffen 2016

The Berlin Theatertreffen is truly an Olympic event of German-language theatre. In accordance with its statutes, the festival invites the ten most remarkable theatre productions from Germany, Austria and Switzerland to Berlin in May every year.

The members of the Theatertreffen jury, Till Briegleb, Barbara Burckhardt, Wolfgang Huber-Lang, Peter Laudenbach, Bernd Noack, Stephan Reuter and Andreas Wilink, watched and discussed a total of 394 productions during the past 12 months and made their selection of the ten most remarkable productions:

der die mann, Based on texts by Konrad Bayer, Directed by Herbert Fritsch, Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Berlin

Effi Briest – allerdings mit anderem Text und auch anderer Melodie
(Effi Briest – although with a different text and a different melody), By Clemens Sienknecht and Barbara Bürk based on Theodor Fontane, Directed by Clemens Sienknecht and Barbara Bürk, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg

Ein Volksfeind (An Enemy of the People), By Henrik Ibsen, An adaptation by Dietmar Dath, Directed by Stefan Pucher, Schauspielhaus Zürich

John Gabriel Borkman, Based on Henrik Ibsen by Simon Stone, Directed by Simon Stone, Burgtheater im Akademietheater, Vienna / Wiener Festwochen / Theater Basel

Mittelreich (Middle Rich), Musical theatre based on the novel by Josef Bierbichler, Directed by Anna-Sophie Mahler, Münchner Kammerspiele

Schiff der Träume (And the Ship Sails On), A European requiem based on Federico Fellini, Directed by Karin Beier, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg

Stolpersteine Staatstheater (Tripping Stones State Theatre), By Hans-Werner Kroesinger, Text version by Regine Dura, Directed by Hans-Werner Kroesinger, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

The Situation, By Yael Ronen & ensemble, Directed by Yael Ronen, Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin

Tyrannis, By Ersan Mondtag, Directed by Ersan Mondtag, Staatstheater Kassel

Väter und Söhne (Fathers and Sons), By Brian Friel based on the novel by Ivan Turgenev, Directed by Daniela Löffner, Deutsches Theater, Berlin

Programme and Prizes

The presentation of the best in German-language theatre is accompanied by a varied programme of further events: public debate with renowned guests from culture, politics and business creates links between theatre and social and political issues. Theatre fans come to the Haus der Berliner Festspiele to attend prize ceremonies, discussions with the audience, première parties and concerts.

Under the title TT Talente, the Theatertreffen gives up-and-coming artists their own platform: the Stückemarkt, which first took place in 1978, presents new plays by undiscovered European playwrights in a "festival within a festival" and has also featured a guest theatre project since 2012. The International Forum and the Theatertreffen-Blog offer young theatre-makers and critics the opportunity to develop their professional experience.

The following prizes will be awarded at the Theatertreffen: The 3sat-Prize (since 1997), the Alfred Kerr Award for Acting (since 1991) and the Theater Prize Berlin donated by the Stiftung Preußische Seehandlung (since 1988).