© Lukas Lindner
The theater production “KILLJOYS” has been nominated for the prestigious Körber Studio Junge Regie 2026 festival in Hamburg. The production was created as part of a collaboration between the HfG Karlsruhe and the Academy of Performing Arts (ADK) Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg.
The set design is by HfG student Isabel Winter from the Department of Exhibition Design and Scenography. Lola Vorläufer, who studied Exhibition Design and Scenography at the HfG Karlsruhe as part of a guest semester, also contributed to the costumes.
About the Play
“KILLJOYS” (directed by Pia Karius) is inspired by texts by Louise Bourgeois and weaves together fragments from Ovid, Shakespeare, 1001 Nights, and texts by the ensemble into a unique collage.
At the center are Arachne, Ophelia, and Scheherazade. They were never meant to meet—until now. Three characters who experience violence in their stories. Three spiders who must produce without pause. Accomplices who sabotage their narratives, who undermine exploitative systems.
How many times must they chew through the canon before something new emerges?
Cast
Performers: Lena Karius, Melanie Nguyên Pietsch, Amin Zariouh
Dramaturgy: Linus Lenke, Lilly Rößler
Set design: Isabel Winter
Costumes: Felicitas Kudlich-Itzinger, Lola Vorläufer
Live music: Vincent Ruhl
Puppet design: Merle Smalla
Photos: Lukas Lindner
