THE DIRECTOR’S GUIDE FOR THEATER DURING WARTIME

A guest performance in English with German surtitles

Self-reflective and pointed, two Israeli directors from Europe talk about the project of their lives, the commission for a theater festival: a production about their own identity. Between morality, politics, history and reality, they are faced with the question: what is important for the narrative of Israeli identity, how do you bring it to the stage and, above all, can you still represent it at all?
When war broke out in October 2023, their already neurotic, increasingly totalitarian and yet somehow beloved homeland became an acute emergency - more painful and bloody than ever before.
With a humorous and self-critical perspective, the play takes the audience on a journey into the complex contradictions of the Middle East conflict - without simple answers, but with profound questions. And since the political reality in the Middle East never rests, the play continues to evolve: it remains a lively commentary on the burning political events of our time.

The Director's Guide for Theater During Wartime celebrated its premiere in Austria in March 2024 and has been delighting audiences in sold-out theaters across Europe ever since.

English version

Two Israeli theater directors from Europe share a self-reflective and pointed account of the project of a lifetime: creating a production about their own identities. Torn between morality, politics, history and reality, they grapple with the question: What is essential for portraying Israeli identity-and how can it be brought to the stage? Most importantly: can they still stand by it?

Then, in October 2023, the current war broke out, turning their already neurotic, increasingly authoritarian, yet somehow still beloved homeland into an acute crisis - more painful and blood-soaked than ever before.

Through a humorous, self-reflective, and ironic lens, the production invites audiences to navigate between the complex contradictions of the Middle East conflict - offering no easy answers, but asking urgent questions. And as the political reality in the region refuses to stand still, the production evolves alongside it, providing a vivid, ever-current commentary on burning political events and their portrayal on stage.

The Director's Guide for Theater During Wartime premiered in Austria in March 2024 and has since played to sold-out houses across Europe, captivating audiences with its timely and thought-provoking narrative.