Thomas Ostermeier (born 3 September 1968 in Soltau) is a German theatre director.

1991, Ostermeier began studying directing at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in
Berlin. his graduation production Research Faust/Artaud (1996) attracted attention.
In 1996 Ostermier was asked to take over as artistic director for the Barracke at the Deutsches
Theater, created a five-year programme aiming to mirror reality and dealing with the themes of
sex, drugs, and criminality. During his time at the Barracke from 1996 to 1999, Ostermeier
began developing the aesthetic he is known for today.
Early in his career Ostermeier identified the major problem of German theatre as too much
decoration and celebration of celebrity. He rebelled against this aesthetic, embracing the
intimate and violent psychological realism emerging among young British playwrights
like Sarah Kane and Mark Ravenhill. These British playwrights where inspired by their difficult
social situations, making their plays more interesting and inspiring for Ostermeier than the work
of their German counterparts.
Ostermeier was responsible for bringing these new in-yer-face dramas to Germany, thus giving
the playwrights international attention, and inspiring young German dramatists,
The 1998 production of Ravenhills Shopping and Fucking won Ostermeier international
attention and an invitation to the Berliner Theatertreffen as well as recognition as the enfant
terrible of German theatre.
Previously, in the bunker of the small "Baracke" his preference for the "little dirty plays" of
young English-language writers had exactly hit the nerve of the place and time; Mark
Ravenhills loser story "Shopping & Fucking" (1998), a brilliant, acrobatic tightrope walk
between slapstick and tragedy, had become a cult production there. But then, in the
"sophisticated" space of the Schaubhne the directors project of uncovering concrete reality
even on the margins of society (e.g. with Lars Norns "People 3.1", 2000) was held against him
as a socio-romantic pose. Nevertheless, Ostermeier has not let himself be put off. He has
repeatedly taken up the subject of the social underdogs: in Marieluise Fleissers "The Strong
Tribe" (2002), in Franz Xaver Kroetzs "Request Concert" (2003), in Georg Bchners
"Woyzeck" (2003).
Ostermeier became known for his genre of Capitalist realism, which he is still known for today.
This aesthetic forces his audience to watch the gritty violence of reality caused by a ruthless
capitalist system. This form of realism seeks revenge on the blindness, and stupidity of the
world.[6] Ostermeier seeks to challenge his audience by problematizing the modern societal
values of Germany and Europe. His realist aesthetic is indicative of his own left wing political
beliefs, which starkly criticize Western capitalism and the values of modern European society.
Ostermeiers understanding of realism is ultimately aimed at enlightenment. He is in favour of
a new substance to theatre, against the arbitrariness of destruction and the aesthetics of

"Especially since peoples social experiences

are so disrupted and, in many cases, broken, the need
to at least fake something like unity, context and design
is growing": this, he says, is the reason for the realistic
"anything goes".

approach in his work. But the moral is not in

the directstatement; much rather it is in the form.
In 1997 Ostermeier began applying his realist aesthetic onto classic plays, the most notable
being Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House. As well as marking the start of Ostermeiers revivals of
pieces of classic theatre with reimagined endings, Nora met with international success.
2008's production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, gaining Ostermeier international
recognition as one of Germans leading young directors. Additionally, these interpretations of
classics focused his aesthetic specifically on to the theme of the loss of utopia, while
maintaining the intimacy and violence present in his earlier works
In 1999, at only thirty-two years old, Ostermeier left the Barracke to become a resident director
and member of the artistic direction at Berlins Schaubhne, making him one of the youngest
successful directors in Germany.

Narrative story-telling and body language characterise his productions. Ostermeier is a

traditionalist through and through as far as closeness to the text and acting. The actor is at the
heart. Maximum physical commitment is required of him. Emotion should be visible in concrete
action and not in "psychological affectations". It is noticeable that the director, who initially
relied on a very young ensemble, increasingly wants to work with experienced actors.

Entrevista
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaUHxKXjkwI
The guardian