The Castle

The land surveyor K. has come a long way when he arrives at the village. It is late, the winter is bitterly cold, but he is not allowed to spend the night in the inn. His employment, which has brought him here in the first place, is denied him. The reason for this remains unknown, as well as the true nature of the castle, the mysterious authority that determines what happens in the village. K. begins a seemingly hopeless struggle for recognition. And every time he tries to get closer to the castle, it seems to move further away.

The ever present intangible threat in Kafka’s "Castle" corresponds with our current reality as K. is confronted with a situation he does not fully understand. He has to cope with continually changing rules and instructions, facing an invisible enemy. Again and again he is confronted with the fact that he is a stranger in this world. Again and again he tries to master a situation that is permanently slipping out of control.

Accompanied by a guide, the audience forms groups walking from the theater towards the imperial castle. Over headphones, the world of Kafka's novel unfolds in a radio play recorded by members of the acting ensemble and connects itself with the urban space, which becomes part of the story and letting the familiar appear in a new light. The "Straße der Menschenrechte" becomes a snowy landscape, the Nuremberg castle a very different kind of castle. Did that passerby walked past you by coincidence or was he part of the performance? The closer we get to the castle, the more Kafkaesque the walk itself becomes.

The audio walk through the city is not fully accessible for wheelchairs or people unable to walk more than a short distance.

Gefördert im Programm 360° – Fonds für Kulturen der neuen Stadtgesellschaft