The play "Bench" in Germany 2026.

In May 2026, Germany will present Alexander Gelman's legendary play The Bench, one of the key texts of Soviet dramaturgy that has remained consistently relevant for more than forty years. The production will be a significant event of the theater season and will offer European audiences a new reading of the classic work.

Created in 1983 and banned for many years, the play "The Bench" explores the theme of human intimacy, loneliness and inner vulnerability. The story of a chance meeting between a man and a woman who once knew each other unfolds as a candid dialog about the search for love, trust and meaning. This concise and profound poetic drama combines psychological accuracy, life truth and subtle irony.

The premiere of the performance based on Gelman's play took place at the Moscow Art Theater under the direction of Oleg Efremov. Tatyana Doronina and Oleg Tabakov, whose names began the world history of "The Bench", which was later translated into dozens of languages and staged in various countries.

The German version of the play will feature:

- Alexei Panin - theater and film actor, graduate of GITIS, who worked on the stage of the Oleg Tabakov Theater and the Moscow Pushkin Drama Theater. He is known for the films "Zhmurki", "Zvezda", "D.M.B.", "Soldiers", "Truckers". Twice nominated for the national film award "Nika".

- Vera Kutsenko is an actress of theater and cinema, known for her precise psychological roles and expressive dramatic manner.

"Bench" is a chamber work, where every word and pause turns into a conversation with the audience. The production addresses themes that remain meaningful beyond time: hope, love, the attempt to hear the other and the ability to be present.

Audiences in Germany will have the opportunity to see the play in a new interpretation that combines respect for the dramaturgical basis and a modern director's eye. The premiere will be a rare opportunity to touch a classic that has retained its poignancy and emotional depth.