Drama, baby, drama
This article was originally published in German. The English version is an automatic translation and may contain errors. The German original is authoritative.
"Theatre? Only old people go there anyway." An article about the reasons why a theatre visit is worthwhile even as a young person.
A place where it is completely normal for people to insult each other, fight with one another or even kill each other? Or quite the opposite, fall in love with each other, sometimes even with family members? What initially sounds like a mad fever dream is actually reality. At least somewhat. In the theatre, all of that is possible. This has accompanied me since my childhood. Whether fairy tales, classics, or modern plays: theatre has always had a magical effect on me. One of the reasons why I still enjoy acting myself and attending performances today. In early December, I went to a production at the Mainfranken Theatre with a friend. There was still time before the performance, so we sat down in the entrance area. Once we had examined the rest of the audience closely, we had to briefly wonder whether we had accidentally taken the wrong door to the care home. Where are all the young people?! Since I have encountered this phenomenon more than once, I hope to share some of my enthusiasm with this article. So here are five reasons why attending the theatre is worthwhile, even as a young person and especially as a student:
- Free semester tickets
Especially as a "poor student", one should not miss a theatre visit. Because you can get tickets at the Mainfranken Theatre practically for free. In fact, they are financed by a solidarity contribution of 2 euros, which every student automatically pays with their semester fee. To do this, you just need to go to the website under "Semester ticket" and see which productions currently have tickets available. You can then pick these up at the theatre box office in the city centre no later than 24 hours after purchase. The money is already paid anyway, so why not take advantage of the offer that you have specifically financed?
- Atmosphere
There is a very special atmosphere in the theatre. Chatting with friends before the performance, having a glass of sparkling wine or orange juice together. Then the gong sounds. Everyone takes their seats in anticipation. Eyes forward, either on the still-closed curtain, or on the stage set, where performers can sometimes already be spotted. The lights are dimmed, it becomes quiet. What comes next is always different, but in any case magical. This atmosphere is hard to describe in words, so it is best experienced for yourself!
- Escape from everyday life
Get up, drink coffee, get ready, drag yourself to university, eat in the canteen and then go back home. If you recognise yourself here and want to bring a bit of variety into your everyday life, the theatre is the right place for you. The diverse worlds created on stage are the perfect opportunity to simply switch off, let yourself go and leave everything else behind.
- Dress up
"Get me out, dust me off!" it calls from the wardrobe. The suit or dress that last saw daylight at the school leaving ball, has been mouldering in the wardrobe ever since? A theatre visit offers the perfect opportunity to take them out again and give them a bit of an airing. That gives the evening a special flair. In the meantime, theatre etiquette has also loosened up a bit. So if you don't want to come in evening wear, you are also very welcome. The Gucci jogging suit should not be it though.
- Take on new perspectives
Through the range of plays and the characters they contain, different things are dealt with anew each time. Through this, you can venture into new topics and, if you engage with them, also adopt and discover new standpoints for yourself. You may be prompted to think about the most varied situations and concepts, to understand other viewpoints, or even get the urge to become creative yourself. The great thing about theatre is that it is so individual. Everyone can take something from it for themselves, and these are particularly personal and valuable thoughts and experiences.
- "I don't get it anyway"
"The raw broths of nature are still too harsh for Your Grace's delicate macaroni stomach. – He must first have them artificially boiled up in the pestilence kitchen of the belletrists. Into the fire with the quark." Such passages can sometimes be quite confusing, but they occur more frequently in classical dramas. But it is precisely the municipal theatre that offers much more besides three-hour classics like "Maria Stuart". Because as a multi-genre theatre, there are also regular productions by the dance ensemble. This way of telling stories is also very special and everyone should see it for themselves once. And music fans are not left short either. In the so-called "Blue Hall", an external performance venue of the theatre, opera productions and concerts by the Philharmonic Orchestra are presented alongside dance performances. So there is something for everyone here!
In conclusion, it can be said that the theatre is not only something for hardened culture lovers and certainly not only for people of advanced age. Because theatre goes hand in hand with society, and the younger generation is also part of that!