The Rats at the ETA Hoffmann Theater: Bamberg's Last Evening with Hauptmann

An Evening about the Lost, Seducers, and the Fragile Order of the City

With The Rats, the ETA Hoffmann Theater Bamberg brings one of the great German stage classics to the stage in a new, contemporary interpretation: freely adapted from Gerhart Hauptmann, directed by Murat Yeginer, musically, choreographically, and comically sharpened. On May 31, 2026 at 6:00 PM, the play will be on the schedule for the last time, gathering once again all those tensions for which this tragicomedy is famous: social abysses, artistic transformations, and a theater within a theater that questions itself with regard to art and its shadows.

Gerhart Hauptmann meets a Present Full of Cracks

At the center is a microcosm of tenement buildings, costume archives, and shattered hopes. Hassenreuter, the failed theater director, encounters people on the margins of society fighting for dignity, survival, and belonging. Mrs. John, who cannot let go of her dead child, Bruno with his criminal energy, the Knobbe family in survival mode: these characters are not footnotes but rather the emotional focal points of an evening that does not merely illustrate the social question but makes it physically palpable. The power of this production lies exactly in this: it transforms Hauptmann's naturalistic material into a stage experience with contemporary pressure.

Direction with Rhythm, Body, and Sound

Murat Yeginer tells the tragicomedy not in a museum-like manner, but with offensive stage delight. The production works with music, movement, and comedic disruptions without losing the seriousness of the material. The ensemble weaves a tight fabric of play, resistance, and vulnerability from the characters. The dramaturgy by John von Düffel sharpens the focus on the outsider stories that Hauptmann wrote with bitter precision back in 1911. Those who love theater atmosphere that tips between laughter and discomfort will find here an evening that lingers long after.

Bamberg as a Suitable Resonance Space

The ETA Hoffmann Theater is located right in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of the defining stages of the city. Several venues, a permanent ensemble, and closeness to the historic city center give the house its special radiance. For this performance, the practical side speaks in its favor: The Great House is equipped with wheelchair spaces, and there is an inductive sound system. This combines cultural openness with high-level theatrical craftsmanship. Audiences experience not only a classic but a carefully constructed stage event between societal panorama and psychological chamber play.

Conclusion: The Rats promises an evening full of tension, musical energy, and precise acting. Those who want to rediscover Gerhart Hauptmann and experience a large ensemble in concentrated form should not miss this final performance.

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• Website: https://theater.bamberg.de

Sources:

• Bamberg Tourism - The Rats, by Murat Yeginer freely adapted from Gerhart Hauptmann
• EVENTIM - The Rats - E.T.A.-Hoffmann-Theater
• ETA Hoffmann Theater - Tickets and Prices
• ETA Hoffmann Theater - Season Brochure 2023/24
• German Stage Association - ETA Hoffmann Theater
• Fränkischer Tag - Murat Yeginer Moves Hauptmann into the Present