Welthörraum.

A man brings his deceased girlfriend back to life via chat GPT. A bestselling author tries to finish her next book while everyone tells her that young mothers shouldn't be writing novels - and her partner treats himself to an espresso next door before soothing their crying baby. A migrant worker writes a moving farewell letter to the library that opened the world to him and becomes a minor celebrity in China. In the Berlin aquarium, a woman bonds with a humphead wrasse and discovers a sense of peace in the underwater world that her life among humans never offered. And finally, in Belgium, ten friends embark on a financial experiment: they share a bank account, deposit what they earn and withdraw what they need – will it work out?

This year at Ruhrfestspiele, you can experience five exciting feature stories that will open your heart and broaden your mind. Researched by the best reporters from REPORTAGEN magazine, these stories are turned into a podcast that can be experienced at the new listening station in the foyer of the Ruhrfestspielhaus. Make use of the time before the performance begins to get comfortable at the listening station, or simply take the stories with you on your smartphone for a walk in the park. In the subsequent interviews with the reporters, you will learn funny and interesting background information about their research trips.