© Isabel Machado Rios / Thalia Theater
In the literary series “Umbrüche”, Deniz Utlu and Sasha Marianna Salzmann invite international and German-language authors to the Nachtasyl at Hamburg’s Thalia Theater. Through readings and conversations, they explore how literature responds to political, social and personal change and gives it linguistic expression.
How does writing change when familiar certainties begin to falter? The invited authors explore this question through their latest works. They read from their books, discuss their themes and working methods, and explain how social experiences find their way into literary forms. In this way, the series shows how literature not only describes change, but also structures and condenses it, making it tangible from different perspectives.
“Umbrüche” brings together authors with diverse biographical, linguistic and political experiences. Their texts address topics including migration, violence, social power structures, personal loss and political upheaval. Through conversation, these perspectives are placed in relation to one another without resolving their contradictions or reducing them to simple interpretations.
The Nachtasyl provides an open and immediate setting for this exchange. Authors, actors and audience members come together to discuss the texts and the questions they raise. The encounter does not end with the reading, but continues through conversation at the venue. Special editions and connections with other art forms, such as music, further expand the literary exploration.
With guests including Fatma Aydemir, Ece Temelkuran, Maria Stepanova, Anna Dushime and Ozan Zakariya Keskinkılıç, “Umbrüche” brings together voices that examine social change from different perspectives. The series combines literary quality with engagement in pressing contemporary issues, creating a space where complex experiences can be articulated, placed in relation to one another and discussed with the audience.
| Funding period | 2025 – 2027 |
| Venue | Thalia Theater |
| Grant amount | 20.000 Euro |
| Website | www.thalia-theater.de |