Stranger than the Moon at the Kurtheater: Brecht Revue conquers Bad Kissingen

Stranger than the Moon in Bad Kissingen: Brecht's life shines in songs

An evening that breathes like a novel in musical movements: The Berliner Ensemble brings a pointed Brecht revue to the Kurtheater Bad Kissingen with Stranger than the Moon. Songs by Hanns Eisler and others are intertwined with poems, letters, and prose to create a musical-dramaturgical life trace – a stage experience between exile, homecoming, and artistic self-examination.

Brecht, condensed: Staging as a life collage

Director Oliver Reese unfolds a fragmentary dramaturgy: Scenes come together associatively rather than chronologically, allowing themes like love, war, exile, and posthumous fame to emerge with contemporary force. The acting talent of Katharine Mehrling and Paul Herwig carries the revue as a double alter ego of the author – sometimes laconic, sometimes furious, always precise in tone.

Sound and body: Music theater with Eisler's breath

The songs – newly arranged by Adam Benzwi – drive the evening forward. Between combative chansons and delicate ballads, the live music paints a pulsating soundscape. The acoustics of the Kurtheater focus on voice and text, while the lighting mood draws contrasts: moon blue over rough black, projections like notes in space.

Set design, costume, light: Signs instead of decor

Hansjörg Hartung's stage plays with reduced, movable elements; Elina Schnizler's costumes reference time courses without appearing museum-like. The direction employs alienation as clarity: narrative cuts, lines of sight into the audience, scenic transitions – a theater atmosphere that creates distance and closeness.

Duration and rhythm: 110 minutes without intermission

Without intermission, the production spans a bridge from Brecht's early years to his later work. The audience's reaction at the Berlin premiere: enthusiastic applause for a smart, contemporary approach to the classic of political theater.

Conclusion

Those who want to experience the essence of Brecht's theatrical art live will find a concentrated form here: literary precision, musical energy, scenic accuracy. An evening that sharpens mind and heart – and resonates long after. Secure your tickets in time and experience this highly praised production at the Kurtheater Bad Kissingen.

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• Website: https://www.berliner-ensemble.de/inszenierung/fremder-als-der-mond

Sources:

• Berliner Ensemble – Play page Stranger than the Moon
• Die Deutsche Bühne – Review, 27.08.2023
• Tagesspiegel – Review
• Badische Zeitung Ticket – Event info 07.07.2026, 19:30
• Theater Liberi – Kurtheater Visitor Information (Entrance, Parking, Accessibility)
• Theaterring Bad Kissingen – Ticket and service information