Theatre of Dreams | Hofesh Shechter | Ruhrfestspiele 2025

Choreography and music: Hofesh Shechter
Co-production of the Ruhrfestspiele with the Hofesh Shechter Company

Hofesh Shechter's new dance evening "Theatre of Dreams" takes the audience into the secret landscapes of our dreams. After "Grand Finale" (2019) and "Double Murder" (2022), both of which were celebrated at the Ruhrfestspiele, Shechter is now devoting himself to the unexplored expanses of the subconscious. On stage, 13 dancers unfold an interplay between poetry and reality that touches deeply on our fears, longings and desires. Dance and music merge into a common pulse: rousing, threatening, intense. Accompanied by a live band, the dance becomes a mirror of our inner worlds. Together with lighting designer Tom Visser, Shechter creates a powerful atmosphere that immediately captures the audience emotionally, even before they can find words for it.

For the choreographer, his own creative process is always chaotic and an interplay of different influences, which together form the essence of the work in the end. "A dance piece is like a dream," says Shechter. "It makes us feel and see the world as it looks inside people."

The world premiere of "Theatre of Dreams" took place last summer with overwhelming success in Paris, the city where the choreographer first studied percussion as a young man. Shechter, who was born in Israel and lives in the UK, translates his life experience into a universal dance language. "Theatre of Dreams" deals with themes such as chaos and the search for community and gives them an artistic, moving form. The evening vividly demonstrates how dance and music can go far beyond words and convey a message of reconciliation and connection. A celebration of open communication that reminds us of the healing power of art.

Credits:
Produced by the Hofesh Shechter Company. Commissioned by the Théâtre de la Ville - Paris.
The Hofesh Shechter Company is supported by the BNP Paribas Foundation in the development of its projects and receives public funding from Arts Council England.