Theater KOSMOS: an “established secret tip” for young writers

Those who walk off the beaten track quickly and unexpectedly encounter exciting, unchartered territory; hidden secret tips, undiscovered terrain – and some horizon-expanding surprises. Theatre managers Augustin Jagg and Hubert Dragaschnig step onto such unexplored paths each morning. In the historic Schoeller area, between brick buildings and modern architecture, less than 20 minutes on foot from the city centre with its festival stage and the Vorarlberg State Theatre, they create a theatre cosmos that constantly reinvents itself in the Theater KOSMOS. Probably the most established secret tip of the independent Vorarlberg theatre scene offers the country’s young artists a safe home with its new positions aesthetically and in terms of content.

Commitment to new positions
“Since the foundation of the Theater KOSMOS 18 years ago, we have aimed to be perceived as a writers’ theatre,” emphasises Jagg. Here, a principal focus is particularly on the creative voices of young, still unknown writers. For example, 22-year-old Nadja Spiegel from Vorarlberg, whose play Kilometerfressen macht auch nicht satt premiered in 2014 – a first step on the creative career ladder of the young writer. KOSMOS’s commitment to new positions also had positive consequences for 18-year-old writer Maya Rinderer. “KOSMOS supports us young writers in Vorarlberg in a variety of ways,” she says, enthusiastically. The presentation of her short play at KOSMOS was quickly followed by the invitation to “Interplay Europe”, the festival for young writers organised by Assitej Austria, which was also held in Bregenz in summer 2014.
Kai Krösche