When does Saint Falstaff take place?

The performance begins on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 19:45 and is expected to end at 22:15.

How long does the performance last?

Saint Falstaff lasts approximately 150 minutes including an intermission.

Where will Saint Falstaff be performed?

The performance takes place at the Great House of the Deutsches Theater Göttingen at Theaterplatz 11 in 37073 Göttingen.

How much does a ticket cost?

Tickets are available depending on seat category. The regular price starts at 19.30 euros; in the highest price category, a standard ticket costs 47.68 euros plus any possible booking and shipping costs.

Is the Deutsches Theater Göttingen accessible?

The Great House is accessible via the side entrance of the DT-Bistro and an elevator. Wheelchair spaces and a disabled parking space are available.

Are there any special notes for the performance?

Strobe light will be used during the production. Image and sound recordings are not permitted during the performance.

Saint Falstaff in Göttingen: Shakespeare, Power, and Falstaff's Indomitable Zest for Life

Name: Saint Falstaff
Start: 2026-10-29T19:45:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-29T22:15:00+01:00
Location: Deutsches Theater Göttingen – Großes Haus

Saint Falstaff: Shakespeare meets the Crises of the Present

On October 29, 2026, the Deutsches Theater Göttingen transforms Shakespeare's King drama into a sharp-tongued, contemporary stage experience. Ewald Palmetshofer's Saint Falstaff leads the audience into a world where political power, personal loyalty, and unrestrained zest for life are inextricably intertwined.

A King's Drama for an Unsettled Present

The production by Erich Sidler picks up Shakespeare's King Henry IV and translates the historical material into the present of eroding democracies. A sick quasi-king is in search of a suitable successor. His son Harri initially refuses the political duty, while the ambitious Henry Percy appears as a hope-bearer for a movement in the provinces.

In parallel, a second world pulses in Mrs. Flott's container club: John Falstaff spends raucous nights there with Harri, characterized by sharp-tongued conversations, dry humor, and excessive beer consumption. When Harri is offered the succession in the house of power, not only the future of the state is shaken. The friendship between Falstaff and Harri also becomes a political question.

Verbal Power, Body, and Space

Palmetshofer's dramaturgy meets Shakespeare with a rhythmically condensed, resistant language. The Falstaff of this stage version is not just a comedic companion, but a contradictory anti-hero: hungry for life, socially critical, unconventional, and at the same time supported by a deep trust in people.

The set design by Jörg Kiefel creates a stony architecture marked by concrete, neon tubes, and movable blocks. The reduced space constantly changes and becomes a center of power, a retreat, and a club. Light, acoustics, music, and choreography intensify the theatrical atmosphere into a sensually charged structure.

Precise Direction and Strong Acting

Erich Sidler's direction combines political analysis with black humor and great physical presence. Gabriel von Berlepsch, Adrian Grünewald, Bastian Dulisch, and the ensemble portray characters whose private relationships remain permeated by the tremors of society.

Elena Gaus's costumes mark character developments and changing contexts in fine details. Michael Freis's music and Michael Tucker's choreography give the production additional movement and create a dense atmosphere in which language, body, and space intertwine.

Press Opinions and Audience Impact

The production has been praised for its verbal power, wit, and precision of direction. Critical voices highlight the combination of intellectual challenge and emotional touch. The premiere audience celebrated the performance enthusiastically; at the same time, the dense connection of language, body, and space was described as a defining stage experience.

Conclusion: A Falstaff that Puts Hope Against Power

Saint Falstaff promises an evening of theater full of political tension, black humor, and contradictory characters. The 150-minute performance takes you from the stony coldness of power to the raucous warmth of the club and poses a central question: What remains of the human when political systems falter? Experience this contemporary Shakespeare reworking live at the Deutsches Theater Göttingen.