Dramatic premiere: Laszlo's heart - theater in the open air!

Dramatic premiere: Laszlo's heart - theater in the open air!

The cultural arena starts off with a successful start on the theater forecourt in Jena. Directed by Josef Bäcker and Lukas Pergande, the piece “Laszlos Herz”, written by Peter Neugschwentner, celebrated its premiere on July 2, 2025. The production tells the chaotic story of Laszlo, who wants to turn away from theater after a disastrous theater experience. “I hate hate hate theater,” are his emphatic words. But despite his reluctance, his heart has been taken away from him and integrated into the set of a production by Elfriede Jelinek, which leads to his desperate attempt to win it back.

Neugschwentner, who dealt with contemporary theater dramaturgy while studying dramatic writing in Berlin, brought his own experiences into the plot. His panic attack during a premiere led to him abandoning his studies, but he still implemented his ideas in “Laszlos Herz”, a title that can also be interpreted as “Let go of the heart”. This ambiguity reflects the protagonist's inner conflict.

Funny encounters and surreal elements

The piece impresses not only with its narrative style, but also with the bizarre encounters that take place during Laszlo's friends and his mother's search for the heart. On their way they meet a director with a forklift, a scolding crow and even a trumpet animal. These surreal elements, accompanied by a thoughtful set design by Konrad Walkow that includes a climbing wall, give the performance a unique charm.

Shayenne di Martino's imaginative costumes, which combine fairy tales with modern design, add to the atmosphere of the piece. Humor arises through slapstick and a meta level that satirizes the so-called “theatre bubble”. The production appeals to both the theater's insiders and a wider audience, and the humor is not neglected.

A look into the theater landscape

The theater is currently faced with the challenge of developing new, relevant material, while the connection between authors and the theater business is often lost. According to Deutschlandfunk, authors complain that they are under pressure to write complex pieces while battling an overcrowded repertoire. “Laszlo's Heart” could be seen as an example of new approaches and themes in theater that also appeals to younger generations and encourages them to think.

In an exciting and amusing evening at the Theaterhaus Jena, Neugschwentner and his team prove that contemporary theater can be lively, funny and relevant. As the event celebrates the end of the season and looks back on the first season, it becomes clear that the play not only seeks the challenge of winning back the heart, but also conquers the hearts of the audience. Let's look forward to more innovative pieces in the future!