Theatre and the Crisis of Democracy

Western-style democracy is in crisis: migration, global warming and the economic consolidation of power go hand in hand with a devaluation of former stakeholders and institutions, such as the nation and its parliament. In many places, the answer is a return to forms and structures of authoritarian rule. Against this background, the lecture series “Frankfurter Positionen 2021” invites artists and academics from disciplines dealing with theatre and performance to reflect on the relationship between theatre and democracy. How do new forms of theatre, choreography and forms of performance that transcend genres and styles react to this crisis? How does this crisis affect their formats, modes of organisation and content?

Nature Theater of Oklahoma, directed by Kelly Copper and Pavol Liška, continues to be one of the most interesting and whimsical theatre companies in the world. Their choreographies, musicals, performances and films span all genres and incorporate exaggeration, subversion, high culture, pop culture and trash culture.