Premiere of Laszlo’s Heart”: Surrealist spectacle at the Theaterhaus Jena!

Premiere of Laszlo’s Heart”: Surrealist spectacle at the Theaterhaus Jena!

On July 2nd, 2025 the time has come: the premiere of “Laszlos Herz”, a surrealist comedy by Peter Neugschwentner, is on the program. The event will take place on the theater forecourt of the Theaterhaus Jena until August 17th. This first performance of the play invites reflection on the importance of theater in our community. “Laszlo's Heart” tells the moving story of a lost heart that was accidentally integrated into the stage design of a production. The audience can expect an opulent stage set that features a climbing wall and even a cable car, while a 40-strong choir supports the production. MDR reports about it.

But what is actually behind this bizarre plot? Laszlo lies lifeless on a chaise longue, and his friends and his mother set out to win back his heart. They meet a colorful ensemble of characters: from a director on a forklift to fantastic creatures such as a scolding crow, a shrew and the trumpet animal. The director himself also has a plan to tear down the wall between the stage and the auditorium in order to make the theater possible in the open air. This original idea is not only supported by Josef Bäcker and Lukas Pergande, but also testifies to the creative energy that the team at Theaterhaus Jena displays. The Jena Theater emphasizes that the production celebrates the end of the season and looks back on the first season.

A look behind the scenes

Josef Bäcker, who was born in Sassenberg in 1987, is one of the creative minds behind this theater project. Before his career in the theater, he was, among other things, a student teacher and worked in geriatric care and as a night watchman. His experiences were incorporated into numerous projects, including political education projects at the Junges Theater Detmold and the co-founding of the theater collective “Bäk laba” at the Braunschweig State Theater. In recent years he has also worked as an actor-dramaturg at the Braunschweig State Theater and has made a name for himself among a wide audience with projects such as “Koyaanisqatsi” and “All the Beautiful”.

Bäcker is firmly integrated into the artistic direction at the Theaterhaus Jena, where he has been a dramaturge since the 2024/2025 season. At the premiere, Carsten Tesch will host the evening, supported by editor Angelika Zapf. The evening promises not only entertaining hours, but also a look at the role of the theater as a place of community.

Theater as a community experience

At a time when communal experiences are valued more than ever, Laszlo's Heart prompts audiences to reflect on their place in the theater and the meaning of this magnificent art form. Theater is more than entertainment - it is a space where people can come together, exchange ideas and experience things. The production is recommended as an age-appropriate enjoyment for everyone aged 12 and over.

The upcoming performances of “Laszlo's Heart” will bring together not only the actors in front of the scenes, but also the audience behind the scenes to experience the magic of theater together. An event not to be missed!

Another exciting news from the theater scene is the awarding of the Max Herrmann Dissertation Prize 2024, which took place on November 23, 2024 in Berlin. Dr. Christina Vollmert-Boldt was honored for her dissertation “Scenes of civic festival culture,” which examines the connection between celebration culture and theatricality. The Institute for Theater History With this award has once again pointed out the importance of theatricality in our society.