Get Cultured in Hamburg and Bremen

For many non-German speakers, it isn't always the easiest thing to find a play or performance in and around Bremen. Even the Shakespeare Company in Bremen, despite its misleading name, does not produce or stage plays in English. Add to that the creative licence some directors might take with even beloved and well-known plays, and you come to realise there are few opportunities outside of campus to attend a cultural event. While this does not seem like an issue of great gravity, it serves to contribute to the existence of a so-called “bubble” and the tendency of students to leave their comfortable campus environment less and less.
However, when one digs deeper into the cultural life in and around Bremen, one begins to find opportunities for performances that cater to an English-speaking audience as well. One of these is the English Theatre in Hamburg, a private, professional theatre in the city of Hamburg, subsidised in part by the Hamburg Ministry of Culture. Founded more than thirty years ago by two Americans, the theatre facilitates international communication “through language and the art of the theatre” (as claimed on their official website).
The theatre aims to perform plays in the original English by including during one of their seasons an American of British drama from the classics and modern classics, a comedy, and a thriller. Plays by Shakespeare, Harold Pinter, Tennessee Williams, and many other established playwrights have already been performed throughout the theatre's long history. During a regular season, which lasts from September until June, there are as many as eight performances per week, with both matinee and evening times. As for booking tickets, this can be done either online or by phone, with special rates for groups and students depending on the performance.
For the 2009/2010 season, two plays have already been active, “Quartet” by Ronald Harwood and “The Subject Was Roses” by Frank D. Gilroy, with a third one, “Deadly Game” by David Foley, having started on April 29th and continuing until the beginning of July. “Deadly Game” premiered to great acclaim in the US, and it is billed as a fast-paced thriller with both psychological themes and action-packed moments that promises to entertain from beginning to end.
While the Theater am Goetheplatz might be seen by most students as just the venue for the graduating festivities in years past, its potential for cultural activities that surpass language barriers is clearly underestimated. While plays require a strict understanding of the German language, opera is a whole different thing. While understanding the lyrics is always helpful towards getting the full experience, the actions on stage are often clear enough that it is unnecessary to focus on the words. Furthermore, the German translations provided on a marquee above the audience distract from the actors and are never entirely accurate. A lot can be deduced from gestures, which make up for the lack of understanding of the dialogue and so on.
Although opera might not be to everyone's taste, it can be fun, entertaining and cultural at the same time. Even if Bremen does not seem to be anything like a cultural centre, the performances one might enjoy at the Goetheplatz might prove to be more noteworthy than initially anticipated. Furthermore, the universal appeal of many of the opera pieces (well-known ones such as “The Barber of Seville” or “Don Giovanni”) and the possibility that the plots are for the most part already known can serve as further incentives to visit the Goetheplatz. As with the English Theatre in Hamburg, groups and students might receive special prices.
Consequently, if you feel that campus life is getting too predictable and you're in the mood for a more cultural experience, there are places around the corner that can cater to your needs.