A workshop production of the classic absurdist Polish play by Slawomir Mrozek about three shipwrecked men on a raft. In the original text, one of the men must be devoured so that the other two can survive, leading each to desperately convince the others why he should be the one spared.
In Russian-Austrian director Ira Suessenbach’s interpretation, the raft serves as an analogy for a modern society experiencing its own global "shipwreck." Familiar concepts fail us in the face of major modern crises, including climate change, right-wing extremism, wars, natural disasters, and mass migration.
Out at Sea (Austria, Poland). By: Slawomir Mrozek. Directed by: Ira Suessenbach. With: Mariana Novak, Petra Staduan, Ira Suessenbach. Presented in English.
This event is part of the 2026 Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival: Hope. For more information, visit rehearsalfortruth.org.
Free and open to the public. Suggested donation $25. Seats are limited, on first-come, first-served basis. Online registration is required.
About
Rehearsal for Truth International Theater Festival, honoring Vaclav Havel, is a showcase of contemporary European theater organized each year in New York City. Conceived in 2017 as a shared endeavor of the Vaclav Havel Center and Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association, the festival honors the legacy of Czech playwright, dissident and political thinker Vaclav Havel. The 2026 festival is being produced in partnership with Untitled Theater Company No. 61.
Each edition of Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival addresses current sociopolitical trends in Central and Eastern Europe, offering New York audiences a unique opportunity to witness the region’s theatrical zeitgeist.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.