Fundamentals of Theatrical Storytelling: Students Read with Actor David Bennent

“There’s more than one way to deliver a text. And that’s exactly what I tried to show the young people.” Actor David Bennent, known for his leading role in the film *The Tin Drum*, visited Steinmühle for the second time this semester. This time, a text by playwright Heiner Müller—specifically the play *Herakles 2 or the Hydra*—presented a challenge for the young people, “and it was exciting to see how they handled it,” Bennent reported. Of course, the actor explained, how well the engagement with texts goes always depends on interest. At first, the focus was on the basics of theatrical storytelling. There were exercises and an introduction to the approach, centered on the question of what language actually means. “Incidentally, it worked even for those who had said they couldn’t read a text like that,” the professional said, delighted by their shared successes.

“I really enjoy being in Marburg at the Steinmühle,” David Bennent said at the end of the two-day project, which was led by Ines Vielhaben. The actor lives in Berlin and is currently filming a crime drama in Switzerland.