Der große Sprung. Das Berliner Theatertreffen ist auch für China interessant – eine Recherche
The big leap: The Berliner Theatertreffen is interesting to China, a study

Summary/Abstract: THE BIG LEAP: THE BERLINER THEATERTREFFEN IS INTERESTING TO CHINA, A STUDY Thomas Irmer The paper traces the development of the recent ‘phenomenon of a disproportionate theatrical exchange’ between Germany and China. Productions of big Berlin and Hamburg companies are performed dozens of times in large cities unheard of in Germany until now. Berliner Schaubühne alone would make 3 or 4 visits to China on a yearly basis, as the revenues yielded on that giant market afford an opportunity to stage new costly theatrical productions at home. The author is well aware of the fact that the country’s curiosity about German theatre is piqued, to a great extent, owing to the Asian state’s interest in such giants as Mercedes or BMW, and that the local audiences, coming to watch the visiting performances, are making of them something very different from what the European spectators do. The author draws a historical parallel with Arthur Miller’s Salesman in Beijing where the playwright describes his experience during the staging of his play Death of a Salesman in the 1980s, at Beijing People’s Art Theatre. Conversing with Chinese theatre professionals and curators, the author seeks to figure out the developments in China’s theatre life since the 1980s. In his conclusions, he recapitulates the major hindrances to creating a real theatrical dialogue between the two cultures, touching upon such issues as censorship and the differences between their views on theatre.

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