Cancellation of ‘The Child’ “Warm greetings to you from a restless, weary, and wounded Iran. As we place these words beside one another, we do not even know whether – after 1,368 hours of living in darkness and without internet – this message will reach you at all.” The Ruhrfestspiele received this message from the Shieveh Theater Company last Saturday (25 April 2026).We have had to cancel the planned performances of the Iranian production “The Child (بچه)” by Shieveh Theater Company. Due to the current situation in Iran, the company is unable to travel to Germany. The invitation to the Shieveh Theater Company remains in place. In close consultation with the company, we plan to stage the production as part of the Ruhrfestspiele 2027.You can return your tickets immediately and receive a refund (tel. +49 2361 9218-0 or email kartenstelle@ruhrfestspiele.de).The artists of the Shieveh Theater Company from Tehran are cut off from the world by current events: no internet, often no electricity, no visas, no commercial flights. Their daily lives are precarious and uncertain; their work and livelihoods are under threat. As a company comprising predominantly female artists, they also stand in a tradition of resistance that the regime has been responding to with repression for years. We are in contact with the company, though this is irregular and unpredictable. When the programme for this year’s festival was unveiled in early March, Ruhrfestspiele artistic director Olaf Kröck had already announced that, should a production be cancelled, no replacement would be sought. Their absence is to remain visible. The resulting gap will deliberately not be filled. “In these days of darkness and war, a part of our lives has become like the story of ‘The Child’ – left behind, stranded beyond the borders ... and yet, it does not matter, because our hearts are entirely with you. Even though we have not met you in person, we feel that we know you. We do not speak the same language, and yet we understand each other deeply. Because between us there is a powerful and unshakable feeling – one that crosses distances, transcends borders, and binds us together. And that force is nothing other than the art of theatre. (...) We believe, with all our being, that theatre is stronger than war.” You can read the Shieveh Theater Company’s full statement here: