The theatre of yesterday, today and tomorrow

What is your first memory of theatre?

Athena Lange My first memory of theatre came surprisingly late: I was 17 or 18. As a former competitive athlete, I had barely any exposure to the arts. My school didn’t offer drama clubs or similar activities. On just one occasion, we went with our teacher to the Staatsschauspiel in Dresden for an open rehearsal. I can no longer recall which play it was, but I can remember very precisely the feelings it stirred inside me. This massive stage, the actors, the way the director was working and giving instructions. Suddenly, I felt as though I had stepped into a parallel universe that seemed completely new but, at the same time, deeply familiar. It was magical, really. I’d always wanted to become an actor, but in that moment, I knew: this is my place. This is somewhere I want to be more often.

Imagine you could create a new theatrical space – what would it look like?

AL My theatrical space would be radically accessible – not as an add-on, but as a prerequisite. German Sign Language would be a natural presence on stage, just like spoken language is. I’d like more bilingual plays in which deafness doesn’t constantly have to be negotiated but is simply a part of reality. At the moment, Deaf actors are still far too often reduced to their impairment which means their artistic potential remains invisible, and that’s a great loss for the theatre as a whole. My ideal space would be one where precisely that doesn’t happen: a space that, rather than explaining diversity, demonstrates it; where different languages ​​and bodies coexist on an equal footing, and where everyone has access without first having to adapt.

What does theatre need now?

AL An awakening. Absolutely. And a willingness for self-confrontation. Theatre bears a responsibility. It represents our society, and that society is diverse. We must begin to listen to one another, to meet as equals and to take different needs seriously. That is the only way that we can bring about change and shape the future – together.

What would you like theatre to be in 100 years’ time?

AL Honestly, I hope that in 100 years, no one will be talking anymore about how ‘tremendously inclusive’ a play is, that we’ve stopped congratulating ourselves for things that should be a matter of course, and that the word ‘inclusive’ has, ideally, vanished from our vocabulary.

What does theatre need to take the right steps towards the future and to shape it?

AL Theatre needs the courage to truly open itself up. Not just thematically, but structurally. However, this transformation begins much earlier: in the selection processes of public drama schools. That’s where urgent change is required and is long overdue. The people who actually gain access to professional training are the ones who will determine what theatre looks like later on. And theatre must stop reducing people to single characteristics. If artists are able to unleash their full potential, the result is a more diverse, more relevant theatre. I believe the future lies in a theatre that is not made for a specific audience but, instead, is created together with a multitude of different people.

What have you always wanted to do or see in the theatre?

AL Please let me have a go at the lighting console! I’d love to design the lighting for a really good play. I’m not qualified for it, but I’m highly motivated.