30th Prague German Language Theatre Festival

The prestigious Prague German Language Theater Festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. From November 15 to December 11, it will present an exclusive selection of notable German-language productions from the repertoires of renowned theaters. These include Schauspielhaus Wien, Theater Basel, Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg, and Thalia Theater Hamburg. The popular theater trip is also planned, this time to Berlin's Volksbühne, as well as a performance of this year's Josef Balvín Award-winning production from the South Bohemian Theater in České Budějovice, the traditional Open Call for graduates of German-language theater academies, and a rich off-program of performances, readings, workshops, and conferences.

"For this year's festival motto, we chose the simple but profound word TROST – Consolation. Support, hope, a soothing moment, pleasure that gives us the strength to continue, the feeling that we are not completely alone in moments when the world seems chaotic. Consolation is necessary for humans and is often perceived as a blessing or a gift. Sharing the art of theater can give voice to our restlessness and hope, and we believe that our festival has been bringing support, hope, and comfort for 30 years. This year's anniversary edition is not only a celebration of the past, but above all a challenge for the future. Let us be curious, open, and ready to be moved by theater. Let us look forward to productions that are not only entertaining, but often also a sharp mirror of our times," invites Petr Štědroň, director of the festival."It will hardly surprise anyone that the festival has undergone many changes over the course of thirty years and has had to respond to often completely unexpected challenges. In the first two years, it was necessary to gain attention, a little later it was more about finances, and recently we have been struggling mainly for space and technical equipment for the stages. It has never been easy, but it has always been worth it, mainly thanks to the helpfulness of our audience and partners, who have been with us for so many years on a risky journey of searching for and discovering unusual, often shocking, and sometimes provocative impulses. We owe the reputation that the festival has earned to their support and understanding. Meeting their expectations is our most important commitment," adds Jitka Jílková, the previous long-time director of PDFNJ.

The festival is held under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic, Mr. Petr Pavel, the Minister of Culture, Mr. Martin Baxa, and the Mayor of Prague, Mr. Bohuslav Svoboda.

The complete main program and accompanying program can be found on the website: www.theater.cz/de/programm