Zum Lachen in den Keller

Theatertreffen der Jugend 2026

Zum Lachen in den Keller, LABYRINTH Theater Stuttgart – Auf dem Bühnenfoto sind etwa zehn weiblich gelesene Jugendliche abgebildet. Sie tragen Jeans und lockere, bunte Oberteile. Sie wirken, als würden sie gerade tanzen oder sich dynamisch bewegen, da einige Füße leicht in der Luft sind und die Arme ausgestreckt nach oben rechts zeigen. Ihre Körper sind nach vorne gerichtet, sie schauen jedoch ebenfalls nach rechts. Im Hintergrund sind Regale mit Dosen und Kisten sowie eine Leiter zu sehen.

Zum Lachen in den Keller asks: what does it mean to grow up – especially with experiences of flight or migration? What uncertainties, fears and detours are part of that journey? The young performers find expression for their themes through music, dance, theatre and puppetry.

Zum Lachen in den Keller is a moving journey into the hidden spaces of our inner world.

We are in a basement – perhaps of an apartment building, perhaps in a big city. The visitors arrive for very different reasons: to sort crates of drinks, to meet a secret lover, to satisfy their hunger or to hide. But the basement follows its own logic: it opens hidden spaces, awakens memories, relives powerlessness and loss, and breaks taboos.

Here, people wash, tinker and stack things away – and sometimes celebrate without restraint, dancing, singing and devouring. Between shadows and ghosts, boundaries begin to blur. The basement: a place of darkness and loneliness, but also of freedom and insight. Among shelves of provisions and washing lines, people encounter not only social norms and their own emotions, but also find themselves on the threshold of adulthood.

Zum Lachen in den Keller asks: what does it mean to grow up – especially with experiences of flight or migration? What uncertainties, fears and detours are part of that journey? The young performers use music, dance, theatre and puppetry to explore their themes. Under the guidance of experienced artists trained in trauma-informed practice, a safe space is created in which they can express themselves with courage, honesty and energy. Scenes from their lived realities merge into a larger whole, making stories visible and contributing to an open, democratic society.

Zum Lachen in den Keller is a moving journey into the hidden spaces of our inner world. At times genuinely funny, at others deeply sombre, the performance opens doors that usually remain closed – and poses a direct question to the audience: what are you ashamed of?

 

With

Daria Ariton, Anna Biletska, Yuri Gomez, Nadiia Kot, Lukas Krug, Vitalii Kulyk, Viktoriia Levkovska, Vsevolod Liashenko, Lava Mousa, Anastasiia Pavlenko, Alex Popenko, Milana Rosliakova, Kateryna Rozlomii, Said Shubat, Sonatullah Uzbek, Abeesnavan Vimalathas, Alina Nika Zaluzhna

Lena Bäuerle – Vocal coaching, choral work and live music

Patrizia Birkenberg – Project management and concept

Thea Marie Eilers – Theatre education, text production

Esther Falk – Puppet construction & performance, costumes, dramaturgy

Yahi Nestor Gahe – Movement training & choreography

Johannes Reischmann – Music production, musical arrangement and live music

Next date:

• Date Tuesday, 02/June/2026 20:00
• Venue Haus der Berliner Festspiele - Seitenbühne
• Address Schaperstraße 24, 10719 Berlin-Wilmersdorf