Ein Rummelnachtstraum

August 28 through September 6, 2026, at the Ottoneum / Natural History Museum, Papinplatz, Kassel

The carnival and rides are open from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; the theatrical performances begin at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. 

... Dreams are my reality … A play at the carnival? A play at the carnival! The Staatstheater Kassel invites you to a summer spectacle loosely based on William Shakespeare. To mark the relaunch of its theater division, visual artists and performers will transport you to Shakespeare’s legendary enchanted forest, where the rules of everyday life are turned on their head. The tradition of fairground theater comes to life in a new and unexpected way. The entire fairgrounds serve as both stage and exhibition space: the moment you walk through the gates, you become part of the attraction.

Between the Schauspielhaus and the Ottoneum—the very place where showmen first settled—Shakespeare’s play meets the spirit of fun of our time, reaches into our present, and is rewritten by it. Fairground, theater, and visual arts merge into an extraordinary form of storytelling, a theatrical experience set amid cotton candy and bumper cars. An exhilarating narrative that celebrates the joy of life found at funfairs. Feel what happens when theater, opera, and dance take center stage amidst the fairground bustle!

The Theatrical Fair is a collaboration between the Staatstheater Kassel and Schellbergs Veranstaltungsbetriebe, and is realized in cooperation with Bewegungsperspektiven für Licht, Kunst und Kultur e.V., the Natural History Museum at the Ottoneum, and numerous other partners.

The ticket price also includes four rides on attractions such as bumper cars, the shooting gallery, the chain carousel, and much more. An extraordinary theatrical experience for young and old alike—a festival of art for everyone.
 

On September 5, admission to the carnival is included in the Museum Night ticket. There will be no theatrical performances on this day.