Premiere in the Globe Berlin: play about power and war experiences

Premiere in the Globe Berlin: play about power and war experiences

Österreichpark, Berlin, Deutschland - On June 21, 2025, the premiere of "Power. War. This performance opens the open-air theater season and is staged as a co-production with the Russian-Ukrainian Urban Theater. The aim of production is to think about the wars of the present and to sensitize the audience, inspired by Shakespeare's "Heinrich V". The event takes place in the open-air theater at the Austria Park in Berlin and promises both intellectual and political impulses.

The staging, directed by Natalia Lapina, is a trial in which the audience becomes part of the event. The actors: act as a choir, while Hannah Arendt appear as a defender as the prosecutor and Niccolò Machiavelli. Michael Schröder takes on the role of Heinrich V and plays it as an ambivalent ruler who discusses the responsibility of soldiers and the vulnerability of the civilian population.

unique performance and personal experiences

The first part of the performance contains impressive scenes from "Heinrich V.", which address the topics of warfare and striving for power. In the second part, members of the ensemble who have personally experienced flight and displacement have the opportunity to share their war experiences. Saskia from Winterfeld speaks about her grandfather, while Ilya Khodyrev reports about his arrest in Russia and Illia Rudakov about the conflict in Donbass. These personal reports should sensitize the audience to the concrete effects of the current wars, including the shocking figures of the dead.

In addition, elements such as live music are added in the staging to further advance the action. Machiavelli and Arendt's perspectives make it possible to illuminate the tragic decisions and manipulation by power on the one hand and human costs on the other. Heinrich V is faced with the challenge of enforcing his claim to the French throne, while his army suffers from exhaustion and illness, which also underlines the drama of the situation.

collaboration and ethical claim

This staging is not only an artistic, but also a political statement for communication and peace. The contributors come from Russia, Ukraine and Germany and thus make an important contribution to a current discourse on responsibility and peace. The dramaturgy, which was worked out by Natalia Skorokhod, combines several narrative and temporal levels and is supported by an artistic direction that is taken over by Christian Leonard.

Overall, "Power. War. Peace (?)" Present itself as a work that causes profound questions, responsibility and the consequences of war. It stimulates reflection and challenges both the audience and the contributors to deal intensively with these topics. In view of the current geopolitical tensions, the premiere is not only a cultural, but also a social event of great relevance.

For more information on the staging and ticket options, please visit berlin.de. You can find additional backgrounds to theater history on Theatergeschichte.org. The complete details of the premiere are available at rbb24.de.