Midsummer Nightmare: Folk Traditions of a Death – A Theatrical Exhibition in Vienna

This production, 'Midsummer Nightmare: Folk Traditions of a Death,' is a theatrical retelling of a local legend, presented by the Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art in coproduction with toxic dreams. It adapts a traditional story of a hunter's death and conflicting memories into a Kurosawa-esque Japanese variant, performed in English with a distinct accent.

Welcome to our annual village theater production, 'Midsummer Nightmare: Folk Traditions of a Death,' a Kurosawa-esque adaptation of a local legend about a hunter's demise and the conflicting memories surrounding it. This event, a coproduction with toxic dreams, is presented in English with a deliberate accent, reflecting the museum's ambition for greater international reach while embracing a 'global village' concept. The narrative begins with a hunter, a forest, and a beautiful animal, but tragically, the hunter is dead, and each character remembers the circumstances of his passing differently, with every version presented as entirely convincing. The play features actors such as Susanne Gschwendtner as the Widow, Tobias Resch as the Poacher, and Anat Stainberg as the Tourist, with text and direction by Yosi Wanunu and music by Michael Strohmann and Didi Kern. The production takes place from June 23 to June 28, 2026, at the Volkskundemuseum Wien.

Admission is on a 'Pay as you wish!' basis. Advance ticket reservation is available via the registration button. Multiple dates are available from June 23 to June 28, 2026.