A haunting multilingual thriller about memory, madness, and a man who plays chess to survive.

The Ship is a multilingual, non-linear, meta-theatrical performance inspired by Stefan Zweig’s novella The Royal Game.

Set in 1943 aboard an ocean liner sailing from China to the Southern Hemisphere, a mysterious man defeats the world chess champion—only to collapse before a second game. Who is he? What secret does he carry?

Blending poetic language, surreal imagery, and physical storytelling, The Ship explores loneliness, control, madness, and resistance under authoritarianism. Performed in English, Mandarin, Old Church Slavonic, Japanese, and German (with surtitles where necessary), and features a cast of five actors playing multiple roles.


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    Event Info

    Content Warning

    Violence, Self Harm or Suicide, Emotional Abuse, Staged Violence, Racism, Death, War, Mental Health, Use of Replica Weapons