Judas at ETA Hoffmann Theater: A defense speech against hasty judgment
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Judas steps out of the shadow of accusation
A man demands to be heard, whose name has been synonymous with betrayal for centuries: Judas Iscariot. In Walter Jens’ pointed defense speech, the presumed culprit gains his own voice. On November 7, 2026, the studio of the ETA Hoffmann Theater Bamberg transforms into a focused space for thought for one of the most controversial figures of the Christian-Western tradition.
A monologue between guilt and divine plan
The dramaturgy radically shifts the perspective: not the accuser speaks, but the defendant himself. Judas defends his decisions with theological precision, passionate logic, and relentless self-questioning. He struggles, doubts, and redefines the question of his role in the divine plan. From the familiar biblical story arises an intriguing theater about responsibility, prejudice, and the power of traditional narratives.
Walter Jens and the end of simple judgment
Walter Jens portrays Judas not as a one-dimensional cipher for evil but as a human within an overwhelming story of salvation. The play critiques the mechanisms of the scapegoat and denounces millennia-old Christian anti-Semitism. The linguistically precise source material connects literary theater, religious narrative history, and social reflection into a dissecting stage monologue.
Direction, acting, and immediate closeness
Director Tim Adam and actor Marek Egert tell the story of the presumed traitor with great immediacy. The stage and costume design by Anaïs Buzduga, along with the dramaturgy by Lea Mantel, frame the stage experience. In the studio, language, acoustics, and the presence of the performer shape the theater atmosphere. Every doubt, every attack, and every twist gains a physical closeness that reaches the audience immediately.
Biblical reading under high tension
This production reads the Bible not straightforwardly, but against the grain. Familiar images of faith come into motion as Judas unfolds his defense like an inner tribunal. Marek Egert's acting carries the evening through varying tonalities: accusation and remorse, defiance and despair, intellectual clarity and human vulnerability. Thus, the stage becomes a resonance chamber for questions that extend far beyond religious tradition.
Conclusion: Theater as a space for understanding
Judas - The Defense Speech of Judas Iscariot promises a dense, challenging stage experience in the studio of the ETA Hoffmann Theater. Walter Jens’ text, Tim Adam's direction, and Marek Egert's compelling portrayal plunge right into a conflict about guilt, exclusion, and responsibility. Anyone who wants to experience theater as an immediate encounter and as a place of thought should discover this evening live in Bamberg.
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