Katharina Thalbach brings Erich Kästner's Berlin to life in this intimate staged reading, exploring the author's profound connection to the city through selections from his beloved novels, reportages, and poetry. The evening traverses Kästner's most celebrated works—"Emil und die Detektive" and "Fabian"—alongside lesser-known pieces that capture his observations on imagination, courage, and resilience during Berlin's turbulent Weimar years and beyond.

Kästner's Berlin emerges as a city of vivid contrasts: the intellectually vibrant 1920s-30s scene alongside the political tensions and social divisions that would shape his later life. After his books were burned in 1933, Kästner remained in Berlin under a pseudonym, ultimately seeing his Charlottenburg apartment destroyed in bombing. Yet he would later describe the city with deep affection as "my bosom buddy, so to speak."

Thalbach's sharp sense of humor and melancholic sensibility bring new dimensions to this literature, capturing both the lightness and gravity in Kästner's voice. Her distinctive interpretation makes this a compelling theatrical experience for literature lovers and anyone curious about Berlin's rich cultural and literary heritage. Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes (no intermission).

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