De Profundis at Theater Duisburg: Oscar Wilde's Letter Becomes an Intense Stage Event
Date and Time
Artist
Location
Price
About this Event
Mood
Venue Type
Oscar Wilde's De Profundis: A Theatrical Letter from the Depths
On February 11, 2027, the Berliner Ensemble will guest with De Profundis at the Großes Haus of the Theater Duisburg. Oscar Wilde's famous prison letter resonates in Oliver Reese's adaptation as a powerful play about love, loneliness, social exclusion, and the creative power of language.
A Literary Monologue Between Pain and Self-Affirmation
Oscar Wilde wrote De Profundis during his imprisonment following the criminal trial of 1895. The long letter to Alfred Bosie Douglas combines ruthless reckoning with a heartfelt confession of an unhappy love. In the Duisburg production, this personal text becomes a concentrated stage experience about the loss of everything external and the search for a new self.
Oliver Reese's Precise Direction
Director Oliver Reese condenses Wilde's linguistically powerful legacy based on the new German translation by Mirko Bonné. His dramaturgy does not rely on blatant accusation but on a painful emotional rollercoaster. Between pride, contempt, loneliness, and hope, a theatrical atmosphere emerges, where every sentence acts like a beam of light from a locked cell.
Jens Harzer as the Voice of Oscar Wilde
Jens Harzer carries the evening as the sole performer. His acting meets a set design by Hansjörg Hartung, costumes by Elina Schnizler, and music by Jörg Gollasch. The reduced stage language focuses the gaze on voice, body, and acoustics, transforming Wilde's letter into an immediate encounter between actor, author, and audience.
Outstanding Stage Art at the Theater Duisburg
The production originated at the Berliner Ensemble and premiered on September 6, 2025. For the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, this production is among the ten best of 2025. The theater publisher also emphasizes the personal intensity of the text and Reese's astute adaptation.
Conclusion: An Evening for the Power of the Spoken Word
The performance promises a concentrated stage experience without interruption, driven by literary precision, dark emotionality, and great performative presence. Those who experience theater as an immediate encounter with language, memory, and social responsibility will find an extraordinary evening in De Profundis. Secure your tickets for this compelling guest performance at the Theater Duisburg.
Official Channels of Berliner Ensemble:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- YouTube: no official profile found
- Website: no official profile found
