"The group moves forward with anticipation"
In the heart of Munich, Theater Grenzenlos stands as a beacon of artistic dedication, collaboration, and inclusion. Founded by Viktor Schenkel in 2015, this unique theater has made a significant impact on the city's cultural landscape.
Theater Grenzenlos is a poetic theater and dance piece factory, inviting audiences to rediscover love – love for life, people, and themselves. The theater provides a protected space where life stories find form and powerlessness transforms into agency.
At the helm of this innovative theater is Viktor Schenkel, a versatile artist with a talent for developing and staging ideas. Before directing, Schenkel worked as an actor, clown, and graphic designer. His work with troubled youth in 2016 served as the inspiration for the theater's inception.
Theater Grenzenlos is supported by the Mohr Villa, the Munich Cultural Referate, and the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior. The theater's association is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, with plans to further develop its style of authentic, speechless theater and expand beyond Munich.
The ensemble of Theater Grenzenlos consists of eight people from Uganda, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. The theater's work is driven by love for people and the desire to enable successful integration. Traumatic experiences are sometimes present in the work, but the theater aims to provide a safe space for expression and healing.
Theater Grenzenlos actively involves young refugees in its theatrical projects, providing them a platform for expression and integration within the local community. Productions are co-developed with a team including Clara Hanae Tolle (development) and Joscha Baltes (music and sound design), ensuring a creative process that integrates diverse perspectives.
Their recent work titled Liebe ("Love"), directed by Viktor Schenkel, explores themes of connection, loneliness, and the power of human warmth. The production spotlights a young woman who opens hearts through her naturalness and life-affirming energy. Performances combine acting, music, and sound design to create immersive experiences that resonate emotionally and culturally with audiences.
By situating performances in venues like the Pasinger Fabrik and the Gasteig cultural center, the theater integrates into Munich’s cultural fabric, fostering dialogue between refugees and citizens. The theater's long-term goal is to go on tour more, beyond Munich, aiming to grow a meeting space in Munich, open to people from all over the world seeking theater and cultural exchange.
The theater works non-verbally, using body and mime play, dance, and rhythm. Traumas often show in the body and are addressed through movement in the theater's work. Schenkel used get-together evenings, trust games, and interpreters to inspire the youth and build trust, expanding boundaries together and bringing hidden talents to light.
Thus, Theater Grenzenlos stands out for its artistic dedication to inclusion, its collaborative creative approach with refugee youth, and its use of theater as a medium for empathy and cultural exchange under the artistic direction of Viktor Schenkel.
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