The German Role in the MEDUSA Project
Germany contributes to MEDUSA – Contemporary Playwriting and Inclusive Identities in Europe through a strong combination of theatre translation, curatorial practice, public programming and dramatic writing. The German partnership includes Das Kombinat and Drama Panorama as beneficiary partners, together with NIDS – Neues Institut für Dramatisches Schreiben as associated partner.
Their role is central to the project’s aim of promoting the circulation of contemporary plays across Europe. Germany brings expertise in international dramaturgy, translation, artistic mediation, public discussion and the creation of spaces where new dramatic writing can meet audiences and professionals.
Das Kombinat: Public Presentation and Cultural Exchange
Das Kombinat is a transcultural non-profit organisation based in Berlin. It promotes art, education and intercultural understanding through inclusive and critical artistic practices, with a strong focus on social justice, empowerment and the fight against discrimination.
Within MEDUSA, Das Kombinat leads the work package dedicated to mini-festivals and public engagement. This means that it coordinates the general structure of the public presentation phase across the three partner countries and organises the German mini-festival in Berlin.
The German mini-festival will take place at the Grüner Salon at the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, a space connected to interdisciplinary, politically engaged and international artistic practices. Through staged readings, public discussions and exchanges with audiences, Das Kombinat will help transform the selected and translated plays into moments of cultural encounter and public reflection.
Drama Panorama: Theatre Translation as Cultural Mediation
Drama Panorama: Forum für Übersetzung und Theater e.V. is a non-profit organisation dedicated to building bridges between theatre translation and theatre practice. It connects translators, playwrights, theatre-makers and theatres through readings, workshops, panel discussions, international collaborations and editorial projects.
In MEDUSA, Drama Panorama brings specific expertise in contemporary international drama and theatre translation. Its role includes contributing to the research and selection of plays, supporting the quality of translations into German and leading the final online publication of the selected texts.
Drama Panorama’s contribution is especially important because MEDUSA understands translation not as a purely technical task, but as a creative and cultural practice. Translators are key mediators: they allow texts to travel between languages, contexts and theatre systems, while preserving their artistic complexity and cultural meaning.
A Strong German Collaboration
The relationship between Das Kombinat and Drama Panorama strengthens the German dimension of MEDUSA. The two organisations have long-standing professional links in the field of contemporary theatre, translation programmes and international dramaturgy.
Their collaboration combines public programming and editorial expertise. Das Kombinat contributes curatorial and organisational capacity for the German mini-festival, while Drama Panorama focuses on dramaturgical research, theatre translation and dissemination through publication. Together, they help MEDUSA connect live theatrical experience with long-term textual circulation.
NIDS: Dramatic Writing and Public Discourse
The associated partner NIDS – Neues Institut für Dramatisches Schreiben contributes to MEDUSA through its work on dramatic writing, research and public reflection. Founded in 2014, NIDS is committed to bringing dramatic writing back to the centre of public discourse and to supporting theatre as a space for civic debate.
Within MEDUSA, NIDS provides methodological and dramaturgical input. It also supports the visibility of the project through the South Tyrol Summer School for Dramatic Writing, where MEDUSA will be presented to professionals and practitioners working in the field of contemporary drama.
This contribution reinforces the connection between the project’s artistic practice and broader reflection on dramatic writing, diversity and the social role of theatre.
Germany as a Space for Translation and Visibility
The German partners help MEDUSA address one of the project’s key challenges: the limited circulation of contemporary plays across linguistic borders. By combining theatre translation, public presentation and critical reflection, the German partnership supports the movement of new dramatic texts from national contexts to a wider European stage.
Through Das Kombinat, Drama Panorama and NIDS, Germany contributes to MEDUSA as a space where contemporary playwriting can be translated, discussed, performed and made visible to new audiences.