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We need to talk (We need to talkI) is the name of the new series of panel talks with Sascha Chaimowicz, editor-in-chief of ZEITmagazin. He meets high-profile guests to discuss the question: »What kind of country do we live in and what kind of country would we like to live in?« After the on-stage discussion, the debate continues with the audience over a bowl of soup in the foyer.

The Nachtasyl bar will remain a space for the ensemble's projects and invites you to spend time and celebrate. The Freiflug series, in which our assistants realise their own work, will continue, as will many other formats and collaborations. Umbrüche is a new literature series by Deniz Utlu and Sasha Marianna Salzmann, in which authors are invited to discuss their writing, with the ensemble presenting their texts.

In the foyer of our venue in Gaußstraße, the BOX will be a new stage for Thalia Theater, offering up-and-coming artists an ideal space for experimenting, but also plenty of room for youth theatre and cooperative formats. Director Jessica Weisskirchen is also developing an engagement format here for exploring topics related to social interaction.

Nachbarşchaften, our trans-cultural festival with visiting productions, parties and discussions, remains an important part of Thalia Theater. It will now present events throughout the entire season, broadening our perspective what matterns in our urban context and beyond, culminating in a festival weekend in the spring. The Embassy of Hope in Gaußstraße will continue to welcome visitors to the foyer for encounters, art and solidarity.

Internationally renowned theatre maker Matthias Lilienthal is taking over as director of the Lessingtage festival for the 2026 edition – and has chosen a political focus. In view of the re-election of Donald Trump as President of the United States and the triumph of right-wing and far-right forces in Europe, the term post-populism will be the central theme of the 2026 festival programme.

The programme will be published and tickets go on sale in November 2025