Midsummer Nightmare: Folkloric Traditions of a Death Performance at Volkskundemuseum Wien

This production, 'Midsummer Nightmare: Folkloric Traditions of a Death', is an annual village theater performance presented by the Volkskundemuseum Wien in collaboration with toxic dreams. This year's iteration, directed by Yosi Wanunu, reimagines an old local story with a Japanese Kurosawa-esque flair, performed in English by actors with distinct accents.

The Volkskundemuseum Wien presents its annual village theater performance, 'Midsummer Nightmare: Folkloric Traditions of a Death,' a co-production with toxic dreams. Each year, the museum revisits the same narrative in a new adaptation, this time adopting a Japanese Kurosawa-inspired style. The performance is notable for being the first in its history to be performed in English, reflecting an effort towards internationalization, though the 'village residents' maintain their distinct accents, symbolizing a global village perspective. The story itself is rooted in local folklore, beginning with a hunter, a forest, and a beautiful animal, but is fundamentally about the fragmented memories and conflicting accounts surrounding the hunter's death. Each character offers a compelling, yet entirely different, version of the events, leaving the audience to ponder which narrative holds true. The production features a cast including Susanne Gschwendtner as the widow, Tobias Resch as the poacher, Anat Stainberg as the tourist, and Florian Tröbinger as the woodcutter/medium, guided by Markus Zett. The creative team includes Michael Strohmann and Didi Kern for music, and Yosi Wanunu for text and direction.

Admission to 'Midsummer Nightmare' is offered on a 'Pay as you wish!' basis. Advance ticket reservation is available via the 'Anmelden' button on the museum's website. The performance runs from June 23 to June 28, 2026, with daily shows at 8:00 PM.