Tue

29.9.

19:30
Paul Marianne Furtwängler

Wed

30.9.

21:00
Compagnie troisbatailles

Thu

1.10.

18:30
Compagnie troisbatailles

Thu

1.10.

21:00
Compagnie 88 mètres/seconde

Fri

2.10.

19:00
Compagnie 88 mètres/seconde

Fri

2.10.

21:00
collectif particules fines

Sat

3.10.

Sat

3.10.

18:00
collectif particules fines

Sat

3.10.

20:00
Paul Marianne Furtwängler

Sat

3.10.

21:30
Livi Scheucher, Thea Ehre, Kirikou Gueye

Sun

4.10.

14:00
Massandje Sanogo – Oxybabe

Sun

4.10.

20:00
Livi Scheucher, Thea Ehre, Kirikou Gueye

Fri

9.10.

10:00 Premiere
Sebastian Mauksch & Team

Sat

10.10.

19:00
Sebastian Mauksch & Team

Sun

11.10.

16:00
Sebastian Mauksch & Team

Mon

12.10.

09:00
Sebastian Mauksch & Team

Mon

12.10.

11:00
Sebastian Mauksch & Team

Tue

13.10.

09:00
Sebastian Mauksch & Team

Tue

13.10.

11:00
Sebastian Mauksch & Team

Wed

14.10.

10:00
Sebastian Mauksch & Team

Productions

  • © Kaan Kanbur

True Romance

Stefan Mießeler

80 minutes
Theater hall

How much are you willing to give for love?

»True Romance« takes the audience deep into the heart of pig butchering — the most brutal form of digital romance scam. It is a billion-dollar business built on perfectly engineered emotional scripts: through endless messages, a real and beautiful relationship is sold to you, the damn best relationship you will ever have! And of course, that comes at a price. Until your bank account is empty. Until everything you have is gone.
Up to 15 audience members per performance experience the work of three characters inside a scam center. The immersive performance unfolds live in an office setting, somewhere between karaoke to Lana Del Rey’s »Video Games« and beer pong, while also taking place through smartphones handed out at the beginning. Using an app specially developed for the performance, parts of the story are delivered directly to the audience’s devices through personal chats and videos.
»True Romance« — a play about the promise of love in the digital age. A play like a message from the person you love. A play just for you.

Stefan Mießeler is an author and director. He creates performances and theatrical works that combine spoken theater with immersive settings and trash aesthetics.

Performance Minh-Thu Nguyen, Richard Gonlag, Sver Immel Text & Direction Stefan Mießeler Dramaturgy Anna Winde Hertling Stage & costume Joe Landt Light design Isi Oyarzún App development Hana Rensch, David Brade Video art Mahir Duman Access- & outreach dramaturgy Wanda Dubrau Production Michi Wolters Production internship Hana Rensch PR ehrliche arbeit - freies Kulturbüro / Ilka Rümke Visuals Kaan Kanbur

A production by Stefan Mießeler in cooperation with Ballhaus Ost and Hoch X Munich. Funded by the Fonds Darstellende Künste with support from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the NRW State Office for Independent Performing Arts, and the Cultural Office of the City of Bielefeld.

Dates

  • Jul 02, 2026 Premiere DE
  • Jul 02, 2026 DE
  • Jul 03, 2026 EN
  • Jul 03, 2026 EN
  • Jul 04, 2026 EN
  • Jul 04, 2026 EN
  • Jul 05, 2026 DE
  • Jul 05, 2026 DE
Language Info

On 02.07. & 05.07. in German spoken language.
On 03.07. & 04.07. in English spoken language.

Access / Content Note

Accessible for wheelchair users.
Various seating options available.
Access friend on site.
Early boarding is possible 15 minutes before the start of the show.

Content Notes:

Content related topics:
This performance addresses the online fraud scheme known as “pig butchering”, a combination of romance scamming and investment fraud. The texts are inspired by real events. The performance explores topics including online fraud, manipulation, exploitation, forced labor, torture, poverty, emotional and physical violence, loneliness, emotional blackmail, and sexualized violence. At one point in the performance, documentary video footage depicting captivity and punishment in compound centers in Cambodia is shown. At another point, the slaughter of a pig is described. These scenes are announced in advance during the performance, giving audience members the opportunity to avoid the content if they wish.

Performance Format:
Audience capacity is limited to 15 people. At the beginning, all visitors receive a mobile phone that they can use to interact with the performance. At certain points, the performers address audience members directly. Audience members can decide at any time how much they wish to participate. The audience shares the stage with the performers. There are two “stations” where the performers present different parts of the performance. The performance is accompanied by an Access Friend, who can be approached at any time for support. Beanbags are available. After the performance, audience members are welcome to spend time in the Aftercare Space at bar level to reflect on the experience or ask questions. Earplugs and fidget/stim toys are provided.

Sensory stimuli:
At some points during the performance, loud music is played. No strobe lighting effects are used, and the performance space is never completely dark. An Early Boarding option is offered before every performance, during which the loudest musical moment and the brightest and darkest lighting conditions are demonstrated.
Use of fog.

Access Concept (Summary)
-Content notes are announced again before each performance
-Access Friend present throughout the performance
-Early Boarding with lighting and sound information
-Beanbags, stim toys, and earplugs available
-Two potentially sensitive scenes are announced in advance
-Aftercare Space available after the performance