One of Berlin’s largest ensemble and repertory theaters, the acclaimed troupe Schaubühne Berlin was founded in 1962 and has been led by artistic director Thomas Ostermeier since 1999. Performing Changes by Maja Zade in German with English and Italian subtitles from May 8-9, the show stars Anna Schudt and Jörg Hartmann in a comedy treating the difficulty of changing the world and the struggle not to get lost in the process.
The pair play 23 roles between them, shifting between all the characters the couple encounters throughout the day. The action starts one early morning in Berlin, with the couple seated in the kitchen. Having been together 20 years, Nina juggles numerous responsibilities, including working to prevent the closure of a crumbling women’s shelter while being a member of parliament. Mark, once a successful corporate lawyer, suffered burnout and has now qualified as an elementary school teacher and is struggling to find his way in his new profession. They have their breakfast, then set about their days. When they meet again that evening, the day’s experiences will have changed both them and their relationship dramatically. Ultimately, the message of a couple trying to improve the world without losing their humanity proves an unforgettable journey, evidenced by its being presented the UBU Award 2025 for Best Foreign Play presented in Italy.
There’s reason to return to the Pergola later in the month, when The Seer attracts audiences to a Sophocles- inspired piece. Written and directed by Milo Rau in collaboration with Ursina Lardi, the play performed in German and Arabic with English and Italian subtitles will be shared with audiences from May 23-24. Milo Rau, a master of contemporary documentary theatre, shares a biographical work that explores the fragility of our certainties, taking Philoctetes’ losing of everything and the myth of Cassandra to treat the topics of war and terror. Ursina Lardi, Silver Lion at the 2025 Venice Biennale Teatro, plays a war photojournalist who travels the world in search of horror stories, prompting the audience to reflect on the extent to which we can look at the pain of others and the line between art and voyeurism. Video footage features the testimony of Azad Hassan, a teacher from Mosul whose hand was amputated during the Islamic State occupation, bringing contemporary events into dialogue with the urgent piece.
