Duration: 1h 50 min
Information: In English, Tamil and Sinhala with German and English surtitles
1948: Independence for Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka – a new country, a new ‘we’, a new promise. But at this point, no one knows exactly what this new ‘we’ actually signifies. Sri Lanka has been in existence as an independent state for 70 years – since the end of the British colonial empire. Dear Children, Sincerely… 7 Decades of Sri Lanka sets off a retrospective whose particular dramatic quality is one of uncertainty. For 25 years, Stages Theatre Group has worked with artistic actions, unusual formats, and ever-changing constellations, bringing to life voices that remember without agreeing; moments that become greater than they initially seem. Seven scenes, seven decades. There is no linear narrative, but rather a sequence of situations in which power shifts, belonging is redistributed, and violence slowly becomes normalised. In place of historical explanation, European audiences encounter a thrillingly novel mosaic of moments, images, and physical states in a largely unfamiliar visual language: a bus that at first takes everyone aboard, and in the end only a few remain. A dance that arises from youthful energy and tips over into sheer destruction. And finally, a female voice, old and tired, telling of displacement as if it had long since become part of her daily reality.
From 18 June to 5 July 2026, Chemnitz will be in the international spotlight: Germany's largest international theatre festival "Theatre of the World" is coming to Chemnitz - directly following the Capital of Culture year 2025. For three weeks, Chemnitz will be a meeting place for artists, spectators and theatre enthusiasts from all over the world. A lively celebration of the performing arts will take place on stages, in urban spaces and in unusual locations, overcoming borders and bringing together stories from all over the world.
Nine international curators from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa, Greece, Jordan, India, Senegal and China are responsible for designing the festival programme. They will meet in Chemnitz in November to select around 40 outstanding productions - works that they have previously viewed in their regions. The result is an inspiring panorama of current theatre forms, languages and perspectives.
