Is paradise still possible in a world shaped by crisis, inequ ality, and loss? (NOT) EDEN’S GARDEN is a powerful and poetic stage production that challenges the idea of an ideal “garden” by confronting it with the complexities of contemporary life.

Through movement, imagery, and performative storytelling, the performance explores human relationships with nature, the body, and community. What does safety mean today? And who gets to define paradise?

The production invites audiences to reflect on ecological and social responsibility, leaving space for dialogue rather than offering simple answers.

For ages 14 and up
Duration: 55 min.
Ukrainian with German surtitles

DIRECTED BY Anastasiia Yakovenko
AUTHOR Iryna Harets
MUSIC Viktoria Chernyavska
WITH TEXTS BY Vlad Koryak, Ruslan Bykovskyi, Kostya Kaliuzhnyi
CAST Alla Krymovska, Anka Demchikhina, Natalka Barannyk, Nika Makhitka, Viktoria Chernyavska, Yelyzaveta Melnyk

THEATER OF CONTEMPORARY DIALOGUE 

Theater of Contemporary Dialogue (Ukraine) is a theater project from Poltava that uses performing arts as a tool for social discourse. The ensemble combines artistic work with social engagement. At the heart of their work lies the implementation of documentary theater forms: plays, readings, and performances are based on interviews, research, and social science findings to bring pressing social issues to light. The group addresses social challenges such as the integration of internally displaced persons, corruption, information manipulation, and the impact of daily life during war.

Since the large-scale Russian invasion of 2022, the theater has increasingly used its performances to depict experiences of war, loss, resilience, and the lived realities of Ukrainian women. One example is the post-documentary performance “Desires & Fears,” which was presented at DSCHUNGEL WIEN in 2025.

The collective sees itself not only as a theater ensemble but also as a platform for social dialogue and reflection: discussions with the audience are always held after performances to deepen the exchange on the topics and create spaces for shared reflection.