THEATER DER WELT 2014 international theatre festival takes place in Mannheim, Germany from 23 May to 8 June 2014.  Thirty-three productions by artists from around the world, including Australia, Japan, Germany, Russia, Belgium, UK, France, Spain, Sweden, the Philippines and many more places will be performing in Mannheim. The THEATER DER WELT programme promises an outstanding festival with a full range of dance, theatre, and performance productions, as well as discussions, concerts, and site specific events. “The first rule of theater is that there are no rules”. This maxim by Dario Fo is honoured time and again at the Theater der Welt festival in fascinating ways. It is one of the most notable theatre festivals in Germany and was a pioneer in bringing international theatre acts to the German-speaking stage. Since 1981 the renowned festival has been held every three years in a different German city and is jointly borne by the host city, the respective federal state and the federal government.

People from 170 nations live in Mannheim, a city where almost 38 per cent of the population has non-German roots. Two site-specific projects in particular, “HOTEL shabbyshabby” (by raumlaborberlin) and “X Firmen”, turn Mannheim into a public stage for audience members from every nation as well as for Mannheimers themselves.

THEATER DER WELT 2014 is a highlight in a region that is renowned in Germany for a wide range of festivals. Mannheim in particular, the largest city in the region, puts great emphasis on urban and civic development through the arts. In 2014, various theatre conferences and festivals of regional, national and international importance are taking place in the city as a result of the city’s and the region’s commitment to theatre and the arts. Images: Bis zum Tod  / Until Death © Markus Öhrn Box in the Big Trunk © Aki Tanaka