Synonym for Youth. Festival Review: Fast Forward European Festival for Young Stage Directors, Dresden, 2-5 Nov. 2023

Abstract

Youth is not synonymous with impetuosity, nor is it synonymous with rebellion. However, both rebellion and impetuosity can become valid attributes of youth and may foreshadow what the theater of the future looks like. Does it resemble that of yesterday and today, or is it completely different from everything that has ever existed? I do not think this can be answered, but certainly, small surveys can be conducted annually so that the next Hans-Thies Lehmann can find another attribute of theater, one apart from the postdramatic. The issue of innovation did not appear yesterday or today, as every furious young person has rejected the specificity of the previous generation and tried to bring something extra to the field of theater through their own filter. Annually in Dresden, the renowned Fast Forward European Festival for Young Stage Directors takes place, organized by the State Theatre of Dresden (Staatsschauspiel Dresden, Germany) in partnership with Théâtre National de Bretagne (France) and the National Theatre of Greece. Since 2011, the festival has annually selected works from young directors in Europe, attempting to both create a launching pad for them and gauge the pulse of theatrical evolution. There are no age criteria; youth refers to the number of projects realized by directors. Specifically, to be eligible, they must have between one and five professional productions to their credit. The 13^th edition of the festival began on November 2, 2023, offering an extremely diverse theatrical experience in terms of styles and perspectives on theater.