Attending this festival in global moved us very much. It touched us as theater lovers, as colleagues, as players or creators, but most of all as a human being, as a person.

We were invited to think, to feel, to share, to even tell something about ourselves. We were invited to dance and to become part of the magic of a strong story. We laughed, sometimes we laughed really loud, but we also cried, once even almost also very loud. Thank god that there we could just in time restrain ourselves.

It was not the only time we had to restrain ourselves though. Sometimes a meeting in theatre or performance gets to you in such an intense way that you feel like running on stage to just go play along, or that you would like to speak up and tell the makers of the piece what a wonderful time you are having, there on that seat in that dark black box, together with all those other people.

It was that togetherness that maybe even moved us most of all. The warmth and the collegiality in the exchange of work, the generous and gentle way of watching each others pieces, it was simply beautiful. For us it was a great honor to be a witness of that. That it would truly be so difficult to pick the maximum of three performances that than would win this so-called price, we could not foresee.

Veit, Franziska and me did have a great time together, for there was so much good material to talk about. Our discussions went deep and broad, got very personal and then again very technical. This professional meeting was strongly inspiring. Theatre is and remains a deeply emotional experience, that despite some professional know-how or expertise can never be completely analyzed. We have managed to unite our filters and views. Important to say is that to choose can never be to loose. To all players and makers we would like to say: Thank you. Thank you very much. For everything. And please, keep up the good vibes.