Graz Children's Theater

Next Liberty plans an “incredible” season

Astonished audience at the Next Liberty in Graz(Bild: Stella)

The current season is not over yet, but the Graz-based children's and youth theater Next Liberty presented its plans for the coming season on Monday. Of the six premieres planned, five are world premieres.

With 46,000 visitors and an occupancy rate of 86 percent, the Next Liberty can once again look back on a successful season, which is still running. "Unbelievable", says artistic director Michael Schilhan - in line with the motto he and his team have chosen for the coming season.

Five world premieres
But another number is also incredible: five of the six premieres planned from the fall are world premieres - starting with the new children's play "Frida und der Neinja-Ritter" by Philipp Löhle, which opens the season.

However, it is not only the focus on contemporary plays that is to blame for this series of premieres, but also an exciting rediscovery: in the 1950s and 60s, Erica Lillegg was one of the country's best-known authors of books for young people - today, the Graz native has fallen into oblivion. They want to change that by adapting her young adult novel "Vevi" for the stage for the first time.

A hit from London's West End
The play "Pride and Prejudice* (*or so)" by British author Isobel McArthur, in which she lets the mute maids from Jane Austen's classic novel have their say with plenty of wit, has already been celebrated on stages from London to Berlin. The family musical that Martin Brachvogel and Werner Holzwarth bring to the stage at the end of the season is also very entertaining: "Schwein gehabt!" is the name of the play in which the outsider Veronika receives unexpected support from a pig choir. And with "Undine undone", after the successful production "Big Bang Theory", the company is once again collaborating with Graz University of the Arts.

However, it is also incredible how often the Next Liberty has already shown Nikolaus Habjan's adaptation of "Faust" since its premiere in 2015: This will be revived in November - celebrating its 100th performance: "25,000 people have already seen the play," says Schilhan proudly. "The Suitcase of Adele Kurzweil", "Das Neinhorn" and "A Christmas Story" will also remain on the program in the coming season. The Mezzanin Theater will also be a guest with its inclusive "Momo".