The Dragon
by Jewgeni Schwarz | German by Günter Jäniche
stage adaptation by Frank Alexander Engel
puppet theatre for 12 year olds and older
Director and stage design: Frank Alexander Engel
Puppets: Nadine Wottke | Costumes: Ira Hausmann
Composition and Sound: Sebastian Herzfeld
Premiere: 27 February 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
Vanquish the fear of freedom
A dragon has been tyrannising a town for four hundred years. As tribute, he demands huge herds of cattle, gardens full of vegetables and a virgin once a year. This time he has chosen Elsa, the only daughter of the archivist Charlemagne. For many years, no one has dared to question the dragon‘s rule. On the contrary, he is accepted as a useful evil, even respected and revered by many. However, the knight Lancelot, whom chance has brought to the city on his travels, challenges the dragon to battle. He receives little thanks for this and when the dragon is defeated, a new ruler seizes power.
“The Dragon” from 1943 is a parable of dictatorship and subjugation that has portrayed many societies since its creation and reflects the zeitgeist here and now.
The realisation of this production is supported by the Ingenieurbüro Susann Schwarzenau.
Performance rights: henschel SCHAUSPIEL Theaterverlag Berlin