Premiere on Friday, May 29, 2026, at 8:00 PM

at the NEW VENUE of Theater unterm Dach, Schönfließer Straße 7, 10437 Berlin.

*Auf Sand gebaut* (Built on Sand): An Artistic Narrative Re-Framing.

Performance in German Language.

We all carry images of Berlin in our minds. Yet none of them tells the whole story. Five storytellers set out in search of what has been left out, guided by the question: How can we develop local stories today without reproducing divisive, colonial, or exploitative narrative patterns? "We tell what is present—but also what is missing. We search for the voices that have not been handed down to us. And if they cannot be found, we invent them." (Stephe Harrop) *Auf Sand gebaut* is an innovative artistic project exploring Berlin narratives, charting new paths in professional storytelling. It blends theater, stage storytelling, and spoken word into a contemporary, multi-layered, and sensually poetic form. The project draws upon a current trend in contemporary storytelling in the UK and introduces it to the German-speaking world for the very first time. Concept and Idea: Naemi Schmidt-Lauber and Sven Tjaben. Artistic Direction: Stephe Harrop (Liverpool), with Naemi Schmidt-Lauber, Sven Tjaben, Hannah Demtröder, Rachel Clarke, and Arna Vogel.

In cooperation between Erzählkunst e.V. and Theater unterm Dach. Funded by the Capital Cultural Fund (Hauptstadtkulturfonds). Tickets (€5–€25) available at 030 90 29 53 82 0 or tickets@theateruntermdach-berlin.de. Additional performances: Sat., May 30 / Fri., September 25 / Sat., September 26, 2026.

Was uns verbindet - eine Storytelling Comedy Kampagne

Demnächst …. Mit Soogi Kang, Neslihan Arol und Rachel Clarke

Mit Erzählkünst e.V.

Gefördert durch

Storytelling, poetic & political

These epic verse stories or ballads take a stand on the issues of our time.
They promote diversity, democracy, social cohesion, and the common good.

Goethe and Robert Burns wrote ballads — but their content focused on very different topics.
They have one thing in common with these stories in terms of genre:
they are long poems that tell a story.

I conceived this ballad as a live narrative for the stage, as a keynote speech
for conferences or demonstrations.

Three have been turned into narrative short films.

Storytelling Shorts.

Three modern ballads or epic verse stories by Rachel Clarke have been turned into storytelling short films.
A Storytelling Short (film) is made up of a voiceover by a narrator and
a moving image sequence which another level of meaning to the story.

Storytelling Shows

Storytelling programmes on contemporary topics since 2012.
Autobiographical, documentary, political, and the stories of today's everyday heroes.

The participating storytelling artists and musicians lived in these countries for five or more years —
as well as for many years in Germany —
and compare life and values here and there.

With optional open mic for your stories and insights.