by Michael Ende
in a version by Sophie Glaser and Stanislava Jević
Premiere on 17/1/2026 on the main stage Wiesendamm
"They had inconspicuously established themselves in the life of the big city and its inhabitants. And step by step, without anyone noticing, they advanced further each day and took possession of the people."
In a forgotten, ruined theater on the outskirts of our city, a child named Momo suddenly appears. Momo possesses a special gift: she listens so attentively that people recognize who they truly are when they hear her. In this way, Momo makes friends among young and old – they play together and celebrate life. But suddenly, an ash-gray wind blows through the city and imperceptibly takes possession of the people. Unrecognized, the army of the Greys spreads, intent on stealing people's lifespans. Only Momo sees through their plan. With the help of the tortoise Cassiopeia and the timekeeper Hora, who initiate her into the secrets of life, the stars, and time, she tries to reclaim the stolen lifespans of the people.
Michael Ende's classic novel, published in 1973 and adapted for the stage many times, is rightly celebrated as a masterpiece that combines the universal and fantastical dimensions of humanity with contemporary critiques of capitalism. Against the backdrop of recent developments—the concentration of power by tech companies, the influence of social media, AI, and the escalating climate crisis—Ende's fantastical imagery has gained unprecedented social relevance. The young, up-and-coming director Sophie Glaser and her team will create a unique stage adaptation that brings Ende's philosophical narrative spaces and vast dreamscapes to life with great theatrical imagination for audiences aged 10 and up.
With: Hermann Book, Anastasia Lara Heller, Victoria Kraft, Silvio Kretschmer, Christine Ochsenhofer and Parsa Yaghoubi Pour
Directed by: Sophie Glaser
Stage: Nadin Schumacher
Costume: Maja Beyer
Music: Matthias Schubert
Video: Leonard Schulz
Dramaturgy: Stanislava Jević
Lighting: Tillmann Wulff
