UFFRUR! … on the road

Theatre and music spectacle on “500 Years of the Peasants’ War”

Director and Artistic Director: Martin Butler
Text: Carolyn Amann
Music: Benny Spähn
Design: Marcus Bendel
Production Manager: Daniel Knapp
Production and Tour Management: Kapuziner Kreativzentrum Ravensburg
Acting Ensemble: Jens Lamprecht (Fool), Elisabeth Schuller (Anne von Hochgeboren & Kaufmann), Oliver Walter (Pflüger), Véronique Weber-Karpinski (Anna Bauer & Stubborn), Sascha Wolf (Outlaw & Peasant Preacher)
Assistant Director & Stage Manager: Alessandra Giuriola

Photos. Paul Gaertner

The events of the Peasants’ War of 1524 and 1525 spread like wildfire – more and more groups and towns joined the uprising, from the Lake Constance region through Upper Swabia, the Black Forest, the Neckar Valley, Hohenlohe, and Tauber Franconia to other parts of the German-speaking world. Armed “peasant mobs” marched to castles and monasteries, besieging and attacking them. Unrest reigned everywhere – until the uprising was put down by troops of the “Swabian League.”

Adventure world in fairground character

From May to October 2025, the history of the Peasants’ War will come alive in a modern guise – exciting, entertaining, and a multi-sensory experience. The theater and music spectacle “UFFRUR! … on the road” brings the events of 1524/25 to 16 locations in southwest Germany commissioned by the Landesmuseum Baden Württemberg.

Performative, musical, and multimedia elements merge into a visually stunning, funfair-like world . Visitors are invited to actively participate and immerse themselves in the early 16th century with all their senses. The focus is on entertainment—but without losing sight of the serious background of the historical events. Expect captivating musical contributions from regional musicians in an open-stage setting, along with play stations, picnic areas, food and drink stands, information areas, and puppet theaters. This immersive experience brings the injustices of the era to life with a wink in one eye and a hint of a tear in the other. The story is interpreted in a contemporary style—surprisingly different from what you’d expect.

And now the stage is set!

Set against this backdrop, a play tells the story of the Peasants’ War and the motives of the people of that time. The Fool acts as master of ceremonies and tour guide. In an emotional journey through time with gripping texts and rousing songs, the audience is transported into the unjust world of the 16th century – experiencing firsthand the tensions and horrors of the Peasants’ War, but also the hope and enthusiasm of the resistance.

The local events of the uprising are not ignored: What happened in Bretten, Laupheim, or Böblingen in 1525? What drove people to the great “uprising” – and what would have happened if the largest uprising of that time had not been bloodily suppressed? The play stimulates reflection and invites discussion about these questions.

TOUR

Stuttgart | 28 & 30 April 2025

Weingarten | 10th May 2025

Heilbronn | 17th May 2025

Böblingen | 18th May 2025

Bretten | 24th May 2025

Lauda-Königshofen | 1st June 2025

Messkirch | 15th June 2025

Rothenburg ob der Tauber | 28th June 2025

Weinsberg | 29th June 2025

Memmingen | 11th July 2025

Kirchheim unter Teck | 13th July 2025

Neuenstein | 19th July 2025

Jagsthausen | 27th July 2025

Sulz am Neckar – Glatt Castle | 2nd August 2025

Laupheim | 13th September 2025

Maulbronn | 12th October 2025

https://www.bauernkrieg-bw.de/uffrur-roadshow

https://www.swr.de/swrkultur/buehne/uffrur-on-the-road-strassentheater-bauernkrieg-100.html

Martin Butler