UNITHEA — German-Polish Theatre Festival of the European University Viadrina

25 Years of Student Theatre on the Oder

When students of the European University Viadrina open the UNITHEA Festival in June 2026, it's not just any event — it's the 25th edition of a festival that has been part of the cultural identity of Frankfurt (Oder) and its twin town Słubice since 2001. UNITHEA is organized by students, curates a two-day program of international theatre, local performances, and participatory formats, and sees itself as a bridge festival between Germany and Poland. The 2026 edition runs on June 5 and 6 — utilizing a city geography that the festival systematically exploits: from the Kleist Forum at Platz der Einheit, through the MehrGenerationenHaus Mikado, to the Quartier Obere Stadt.

2026 Theme: "Comfort Me"

The festival theme "Comfort Me" (Polish: „Pociesz mnie") reflects the current mood: crises, uncertainty, fragile relationships. The festival organizers understand comfort not as passive solace, but as an active practice — as an opportunity to show vulnerability, accept support, share memories, and try out new forms of togetherness. Productions, workshops, and discussions revolve around this question: Where do we find comfort today? Who comforts whom? And what are the spaces — political, artistic, physical — where comfort can take place?

Performances, Workshops, Debates

The program includes international and regional productions (theatre, dance, performance), participatory formats (workshops with the audience), pre- and post-performance talks, music, and encounters in the neighbourhood. Free admission with recommended registration — the student organizing team curates the performances so that non-German and non-Polish visitors can also follow along. Performance languages are usually German and Polish (with surtitles or bilingual), occasionally English.

Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice — Twin City on the Border

Frankfurt (Oder) and the Polish town of Słubice — until 1945 the same place, Frankfurt's Dammvorstadt — today form a unique twin city, divided by the Oder river and connected by the city bridge. The European University Viadrina, re-established in 1991, is a symbol of German-Polish rapprochement; about a third of the students come from Poland, and many programs are designed binationally. UNITHEA is the cultural embodiment of this idea — and at the same time the most important student theatre festival in eastern Brandenburg.

Venues

Kleist Forum (Platz der Einheit 1) — the main venue, a modern theatre building with a large stage and studio hall. MehrGenerationenHaus Mikado (Franz-Mehring-Straße 20) — a community centre, hosting workshops and participatory formats. Quartier Obere Stadt — historic city district with smaller venues, open-air performances between buildings. Cooperation partners include Kleist Forum, Słubfurt e.V., and Kunstgriff, as well as the Polish Sieć Kulturalna network.