ABSTRACT
Thomas Ostermeier (b. 1968) is one of the most committed European directors of his generation: ‘committed’ in an old-fashioned sense, in that not only has he never shied away from politics in his work, often brutally challenging an accepted social order, but also because he believes in theatre talking to and changing society. A fearless internationalist, speaking fluent English and French, bringing ‘the world’ to the Schaubühne has proved central to his work ethic. Two areas of special concern to him – amongst much else – are covered in this interview: the import of writing from abroad (a top priority for Ostermeier from the start of his career) and the founding of an annual festival, FIND (Festival for New International Drama), an innovation unique in Berlin dating from the first year of his directorate at the Schaubühne, and which involves writers and directors from around the globe meeting, discussing new work and mounting staged readings, in German, over five days.
