Many roles Christine Eixenberger makes her own, not least her own: as a primary school teacher, she once switched to the stage and immediately embarked on a TV career. For the successful ZDF series "Marie fängt Feuer" she has been in front of the camera for years as a firefighter and shines in numerous other character roles in film and television. But the full-blooded entertainer's comedic core competency is demonstrated above all live: she has been awarded the Bavarian Cabaret Prize for her versatile stage comedy.

In her new solo program, Christine Eixenberger tells the story of what it's like not to be alone anymore. The relationship is stable, the lack of housing also, so her partner moves in with her. "I and you" becomes "we" - with all the consequences. But Chrissy has it all under control. Well, almost. With tireless energy and enthusiasm, she not only defies the small crises in her newly minted duo household, but also the big ones in the world, because she knows: the big mirrors the small. And vice versa. Supply chain problems, artificial intelligence, and chip shortages? The trained primary school teacher meets them with a robust craftsman attitude and a biotech lab in the fridge.
As a philosophically inclined scion of Generation Y, she always asks the question of "why": Why is a balanced budget more important than a functioning education system? Why do the Austrians and the Swiss manage to operate a functioning rail network despite topographical obstacles? And why, for heaven's sake, is there still a crumb from breakfast on the tablecloth when it's already afternoon?
In her fifth stage program "Total Control," the sharp-tongued cabaret artist humorously faces the challenges of advanced partnering in turbulent times - profound, entertaining, and very, very funny.

INDIEN
Reading with Josef Hader and Alfred Dorfer

The STADTSAAL is bringing a rare event to the stage on January 12, 2026, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its existence: "Indien," a scenic reading of the classic stage version by Josef Hader and Alfred Dorfer, presented by the two authors. As early as early 2011, "Indien" was the first fixed program point in the newly opened theater on Vienna's Mariahilfer Straße.

The much-praised, cabaret-style little cabinet piece and tragicomic small art work as a reading - with Alfred Dorfer (Kurt Fellner), Josef Hader (Heinz Bösel). Fellner: "I have this theory that food is often related to the landscape in question. So where the landscape is rather barren, there are often grilled things. 'In our place, the landscape is a bit more lush, so we have these many pastries.'" Bösel: "Aha. I'm not that into sweets." Fellner: "In India, for example, they only eat rice. They sit on the streets, eat rice, laugh while doing it, some are starving. It must be a completely different kind of landscape." Bösel: "Now you're joking. What's the truth? It's insane, you hear. These other peoples..."

Whoever knows the struggles of life deserves an ice cream!

What a mishmash! But isn't it supposed to be mishmash, without the "t"? "Doesn't matter!" says Wudri, because he loves everything that inspires the imagination. Especially fairy tales and stories, fables and poems. And he especially loves to tell everyone he meets about them! For him, it doesn't matter how much he mixes up – as long as the story is full of the characters and drama he loves so much. If you meet him for the first time on the street or in the park, you could almost believe that nothing is missing. But if you look closer and listen to him, you'll notice how much of himself is in his stories. "Mischmatsch" is the tale of a person on the fringes of society. For someone who has so little, the joy of life and the hunger for liveliness also mean survival. And it seems like his humor and yearning are the only things he can hold against his situation. "Mischmatsch" raises the question of how we want to live and everything it takes to look forward to a more just future, where humanity and the well-being of all become the most valuable asset we have.

By and with: Siruan Darbandi

A tribute to a dedicated teacher and her students. The film FAVORITEN places the children at the center and tells from their perspective about the structures of our education system that need to be changed.

For three years, Ruth Beckermann accompanied a class of children aged seven to ten and their dedicated teacher in a primary school in the Vienna district of Favoriten, a former working-class district often portrayed in the media as the "most dangerous district of Vienna." Like the entire system, the acute shortage of teachers and caregivers also defines everyday school life here, while more than sixty percent of Vienna's primary school students do not have German as their first language. Although these problems are clearly present in the film, they are not directly addressed in FAVORITEN. Instead, we observe the daily adventures, struggles, defeats, and victories of the children in a microcosm of today's Western European society. By getting to know the "Favoriten," we experience a critical time with them that will decisively shape their future.

Ruth Beckermann's new film is a precise and empathetic long-term observation that focuses on the structural aspects behind the everyday. A surprisingly cheerful portrait of an unusual community. A film about teaching and learning and often very surprising experiences somewhere in between.

Documentary (A 2024)
Duration: 118 minutes
FSK: without age restrictions
Directed by: Ruth Beckermann
With: Ilkay Idiskut, Alper, Amina, Arian, Beid, Dani, Danilo, David, Davut, Eda, Egemen, Elif, Enes, Fatima, Furkan, Hafsa, Ibrahim, Liemar, Majeda, Manessa, Melisa, Mohammed, Natalia, Nerjiss, Rebeca, Selen, Selin, Teodora, Valentin

Graz seduces you - narrow alleys, imposing buildings, and modern architecture. Enjoy a leisurely walk through one of the most fascinating old towns in Europe, which is young, cheeky, and innovative at the same time.

Graz seduces you - narrow alleys, imposing buildings, and modern architecture. Enjoy a leisurely walk through one of the most fascinating old towns in Europe, which is young, cheeky, and innovative at the same time.

Over 40 years of St. Pauli Blues! As part of their "40th Anniversary VOL. II" tour, the Hamburg Blues Band presents the Hamburg rock shouter Gert Lange, Reggie Worthy (Ike & Tina Turner, Eric Burdon), drummer Eddie Filipp (Sweet, Inga Rumpf, Clem Clempson Band), and the 33-year-old exceptional guitarist Krissy Matthews "This guy is the real deal" (Beth Hart), with songs from over 4 decades of HBB & the British guitar shooting stars. A musical fireworks display with friends, companions, real characters & originals.

Vienna’s Only Weekly English Improv Comedy Spectacular
Step into a night of pure laughter, creativity, and spontaneity!

This one-of-a-kind improv comedy show brings your wildest ideas to life on stage. It's a comedy variety show like no other, where anything can happen, and YOU call the shots! Imagine this: an improvised movie, clever sketches, and hilarious plays—all created on the spot, inspired by YOUR suggestions. No scripts. No limits. Just quick wit, big laughs, and unforgettable moments crafted in real-time by some of Vienna’s top improv talents.

Why settle for Netflix when you can watch a live comedy masterpiece unfold right before your eyes? From side-splitting characters to unexpected twists, every show is a unique adventure that will leave you wanting more.


Three reasons to join us:

- Interactive Fun: Be part of the action—your ideas shape the night!
- Unforgettable Comedy: Laugh out loud with a vibrant crowd.
- Unique Experience: No two shows are the same, so every performance is a new journey.

Perfect for locals, expats, and tourists! Whether you're flying solo, bringing friends, or planning a date night, this show is your gateway to Vienna's English comedy scene.
Skip the mundane and dive into a world where creativity knows no bounds. Make your Monday extraordinary—join us for Vienna’s ultimate comedy experience!

Arthur Conan Doyle
In English language

The International Theatre Salzburg starts a new season full of suspense. Join smart detective Sherlock Holmes and his vision to fight crime through the logic of the mind.

The story of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is set in the foggy, mysterious landscape of Dartmouth moor in England’s West Country and follows Sherlock Holmes investigating the legend of a fearsome, diabolical hound of supernatural origin.

Janna Ramos-Violante invites the members of the audience to join the society of detectives in a highly suspenseful, multi-layered interactive evening of entertainment and secrets.

United European Ballet
Schwanensee -Ballet with Orchestra
Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky
Choreography: M. Petipa, L. Ivanov
Libretto: V. Begichev, W. Gaiser

For over a hundred years, no other ballet from the classical repertoire has enjoyed uncontested popularity like Schwanensee.
Especially "Schwanensee" captivates people worldwide, as it embodies everything that has made classical ballet famous.
The collaboration between composer Peter I. Tchaikovsky and choreographer Marius Petipa was one of the happiest coincidences in ballet history. The fairy-tale "Schwanensee" story of the enchanted princess Odette is considered one of the great, timeless classics of ballet.
With utmost precision, the unforgettable and emotional compositions of Peter I. Tchaikovsky, a magical narrative, and spectacular dances are presented.
Music and dance are united here into a new language that everyone understands immediately.

The show is offered by the UNITED EUROPEAN BALLET, which brings together the most charismatic and talented dancers in the world.
Audiences immerse themselves in a world full of beauty, elegance, and harmony during this musical and dance performance and are enchanted by the myth of "Schwanensee".
Expressing emotions without words - that is classical ballet!

Although Franz eagerly seeks the favor of his father, Karl is the notorious favorite son of Count von Moor. The shared love interest Amalia only has eyes for the handsome Karl. Franz's only chance for inheritance and recognition is a scheme against his brother. The father is deceived and banishes Karl …
In their adaptation, humor virtuosos Kaja Dymnicki and Alexander Pschill transpose Schiller's Sturm und Drang drama into the music production scene of the 1970s. Karl is not only the favorite son but also a poster boy and hit supplier in Mr. von Moor's surf-pop empire. After the break with his father, Karl literally takes another angle and switches to the room-destroying rock genre. But love drives Karl back to his father's suite a few power chords later, where Franz is now up to his mischief …

DIE RÄUBER is a collaboration between the Volkstheater Bezirke and the Bronski & Grünberg Theater. Following ROMEO AND JULIET, Kaja Dymnicki and Alexander Pschill continue their characteristic engagement with classics and tell Schiller's revolutionary debut as a fast-paced slapstick tragedy with depth.

Kafka's narrative DER BAU is the protocol of an underground world where happiness and paranoia are closely intertwined. It describes a kind of human-animal, a kafkaesque, thinking creature. The being lives in a mental crusade, in a permanent state of emergency, directed against the outside world, against potential intruders.

DER BAU is a parable about society, which constantly creates risks by trying to prevent them. As in all of Kafka's stories, the consequences of their actions and thoughts inexorably drive the beings, animals, humans, men, forward, often abandoned by any sense of reality.

Direction: Max Simonischek
Stage: Besim Morina,
Harald B. Thor
Costume: Fashion Design Basman
Sound Consulting: Daniel Freitag
Light: Marcus Loranv Dramaturgy: Peter Kastenmüller

Cast

Max Simonischek

Let yourself be enchanted by Mozart's violin sonatas in a dreamlike atmosphere and dream back to the heyday of classical music in Salzburg.
Duration of the concert: 45 min

SHE says: I pressed my hands against his chest. I said, "no, not."

HE says: At no point did she clearly and distinctly say "no" to any action.

Successful woman meets successful man. They start an affair. Both are married with children. After a few years, they decide to part ways in friendship, but shortly after, fate brings them back together. They engage in sexual intercourse again. She says it was not consensual. He says that's not true. Who is telling the truth? Will the trial reveal the answer?

After the two highly successful productions Terror and God, the Kammerspiele open the season with the premiere of another courtroom drama written by Ferdinand von Schirach. Once again, the author tackles an extremely sensitive topic. This time, he explores whether and to what extent current legislation is sufficient to legally assess sexual assaults. In public opinion, an acquittal or dismissal of such a case is often seen as evidence that the victim lied. One may recall recent cases such as the high-profile trial of Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard. The fundamental issue, however, lies in the fact that the court must not judge what actually happened, but only what can be proven.

German version by Sabine Pribil

But we didn't want to know either.

After decades of silence, Brunhilde Pomsel spoke for the first time at the age of 103 about her time as a stenographer and secretary to Reich Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. Although Pomsel worked for one of the greatest criminals in history and for the leadership elite of National Socialism, she always referred to herself merely as a “marginal figure” and completely “apolitical.” Even in the last days of the war, she remained in the already destroyed city and sewed the flag of the official capitulation of Berlin in the bunker. She was then taken into Soviet captivity. Until the end, she insisted that she only learned about the Holocaust after the fall of National Socialism.

English playwright Christopher Hampton has created an impressive theater text from the original conversations that Brunhilde Pomsel had with Christian Krönes, Olaf S. Müller, Roland Schrotthofer, and Florian Weigensamer for the film of the same name Ein deutsches Leben. Pomsel's life story raises questions about the personal responsibility of each individual for the political events of the time.

Director Andrea Breth places Brunhilde Pomsel’s account in a poetically associative context of the time between 1929 and 1950. Together with musician Adam Benzwi, she weaves well-known hits, old folk songs, and burdened homeland songs into an atmospheric play.

In addition to 82-year-old Lore Stefanek, who was awarded the German Actor’s Prize last year, Andrea Clausen and Fin Holzwart, among others, can be experienced.

Cast:

Direction
Andrea Breth

Set Design
Raimund Orfeo Voigt

Costumes
Jens Kilian

Musical Direction
Adam Benzwi
dramaturgy
Barbara Nowotny

Lighting
Alexander Koppelmann

Brunhilde Pomsel
Lore Stefanek
At the piano
Adam Benzwi

with
Andrea Clausen
Fin Holzwart
Peter Buchecker
Robert Chionis
Mark Rayal
Manfred Loydolt
Harald Denkmair
Marlene Blaschon
Sophia Buchmann
Tobias Egermann
Sophia Valerie Jelinek
Clara Lackner-Zinner
Ladislava Lyssenko
Paula Nittel
Noah Pardeller-Lingens
Alice Ruth Richter
Ella Schmid
Sofia Sullivan
Elisabeth Temel-Stiller

For over forty years, the Hamburg Blues Band has united uncompromising blues with great stylistic variety - and has long earned a reputation as one of the liveliest and most original acts in the European blues scene.

40 years of St. Pauli Blues - the Hamburg Blues Band on their "Friends For A LIVEtime VOL. II" tour

Founded in 1982 during a legendary midnight jam session at Hamburg's "Onkel Pö" by vocalist Gert Lange and British saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith (Colosseum), the band was from the beginning part of a blueprint for German-British blues collaborations.

Back then, blues in Germany was an outsider genre - today, HBB is considered one of the most important ambassadors of the genre. Gert Lange recalls: "Blues was a dirty word back then. We were outlaws - but team players!" Thanks to their clever mix of blues, rock, soul, psychedelic, boogie, and occasional jazz excursions, they have created a soundscape that captivates both live purists and blues traditionalists.

Over the years, HBB has collaborated with a number of high-profile musicians: Chris Farlowe, Jack Bruce, Arthur Brown, Mike Harrison, Clem Clempson, or Miller Anderson - names whose musical weight also reflects the significance of the band. And with British saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith ("for us, what Alexis Korner was for the Stones"), they had a direct connection to the British blues and jazz tradition. Last but not least, lyricist legend Pete Brown (Cream) was a close companion for years.

Now, on the "Friends For A LIVEtime VOL. II" tour, the Hamburgers are opening another chapter with renewed vigor. On board are the charismatic rock shouter Gert Lange, bassist Reggie Worthy (Ike & Tina Turner, Eric Burdon, Stoppok), drummer Eddie Filipp (Sweet, Inga Rumpf, Clem Clempson Band), and British guitar shooting star Krissy Matthews, whom Beth Hart simply praises as "This guy is the real deal." This ensemble combines decades of blues tradition with fresh rock drive, uncompromising energy, and unfiltered joy of playing.

In this formation, songs from four decades of Hamburg Blues Band are performed - fresh interpretations, old classics, and brand new moments, always carried by the unmistakable energy of an original that never leans nostalgically back but always remains in motion. It is a musical firework with friends, companions, and real characters - with all the groove, depth, and soul that makes blues.

Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen
Johann Sebastian Bach meets Barbara Strozzi and Francesca Caccini

Ensemble colorparte
Katharina Wegscheider - soprano
Hannah Pichler - baroque cello
Daniel Freistetter - organ

Monday, January 12, 2026
Reformed City Church
Dorotheergasse 16, 1010 Vienna
Start: 19:30

The high-class young ensemble presents numerous facets of early music in lively, colorful, and expressive interpretation. The focus is on significant female composers of the Baroque period, such as Francesca Caccini (1578-1640, Florence) and Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677, Venice). On the occasion of the Paul Gerhardt Year 2026 (350th anniversary of his death), the ensemble combines works by the two composers with compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, who notably set texts by Paul Gerhardt to music. The program is rounded off with selected pieces from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach.
With her crystal-clear, bell-like voice, young soprano Katharina Wegscheider delights and showcases her extraordinary talent. The continuo with Daniel Freistetter and Hannah Pichler complements her through a finely tuned interplay and sensitively crafted sound colors of baroque music.