The Trial - Franz Kafka / 14+ / Premiere

THE TRIAL
Franz Kafka
In a stage adaptation by Bettina Rehm and Cornelius Edlefsen

On the morning of his thirtieth birthday, Josef K., chief clerk at a large bank, is arrested - with no crime named, no cell to be put in. He is simply told to carry on with his life as before. No explanation is given.

Searching for answers, he is drawn ever deeper into an opaque bureaucratic labyrinth that seems to operate arbitrarily, governed by rules no one can fathom. It ends with Josef K.'s death - no verdict, no proven guilt.

Kafka's unfinished novel (1883-1924) is at once a surreal nightmare, a thriller, and a linguistically dense work of art that resists any single interpretation. At a time when justice and legal systems around the world are under pressure and law is increasingly shaped by those in power, the story feels more urgent than ever.

Suitable for ages 14 and up.