Volkstheater for non-German native speakers

For those theater lovers in Vienna, who have not yet mastered the language yet, I have a good news for you! No matter how many German classes I take at Deutsch Akademie, I know my German will never be good enough to fully comprehend German theater. In any language, theater always requires high mastery of the language. Even as a native speaker myself, theater languages in Korean and English do not come easy. Yet we do not want to miss this big cultural aspect of Austria.

Recently I made a visit to Volkstheater to watch „Der Menschenfeind,“ a French theater piece from the mid 1600s. „Der Menschenfeind“ at Volkstheater, however, is rather a modernized piece and also has gotten some great reviews. My German is only intermediate, and there is no way I can fully comprehend even the modernized theater piece. But this particular piece is shown with English subtitles! The actors‘ script is German translated version, while the English subtitle is English translated version, so the translation is never awkward and even carries some witty rhymes. The piece was witty and displays a rather accurate representation of human relationships, but the theater building/stage itself is also worth noting.

The tickets are surprisingly affordable; they range from 5-48 euros. Also the English subtitle is located on top of the stage, on the upper frame of the stage, so seats not too close to the stage may prevent some neck pain. And those seats are obviously cheaper too. So go check out the website and take a part in Vienna’s theater culture this week.