The English Theatre began in 1979 when an American actress, Judith Rosenbauer, and several English speaking actors put on plays in the backyard of a house in the suburb of Sachsenhausen.
Now nearing the end of its 23rd season, the English Theatre looks forward to a new home in the newly built office building of the Dresdner Bank. The English Theatre in Frankfurt will become the first theatre worldwide to be located in a bank building. Only in Frankfurt-which carries the nickname of "Bankfurt"-does this seem a natural, albeit slightly odd, progression.
The actors who perform in the show come primarily from England and other English speaking countries. Since the shows begin rehearsals in London before transferring to the Frankfurt stage, many of the actors appear on the British stage, television, and radio. The audience, however, is overwhelmingly filled with native German speakers, a fact, which makes me even more motivated to perfect my German and attend a German-language show someday.
The company performs productions ranging from popular favorites to powerful new voices on the contemporary stage. To celebrate their forthcoming move, the company has assembled an impressive program of plays. Already seen this season were Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), They're Playing Our Song, and Someone Who'll Watch Over Me. I am set to attend the current showing of David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize winning play Proof in late April, catching it just before the closing on May 2. Should you be arriving in Germany later in summer, you should be able to catch the season finale, Things We Do for Love by Alan Ayckbourn, running May 10-July 12.
Not many travelers to Germany would anticipate catching a play while in country, but the English Theatre has much to offer. If you are a theatre junkie like myself, then you should seize the opportunity to see English theatre in Germany.
Go To Page: 1 2
