Das Letzte Jahr (2025)

A mysterious organisation offers a unique simulation: The Final Year, a six-hour individual journey to the end of one's own life. Family members, staff and the dying are in a care home, on a sun-dappled meadow or outside of the gates of heaven, while the simulation proceeds, pauses, comes full circle. Lifelines blur. We become aware of wrong turns taken. Desires awaken into lived fantasies that are forgotten a moment later.
You don't know how or when you got here. What do they want from you here? You do not remember what you lost, but you know that it is huge. You don't know what year it is, it was all so sudden. Your final year.

Language: German

Tickets: Wiener Festwochen

Dates & Times:
17 May – 29 June 2025
Saturdays & Sundays: 16:00
Mondays & Tuesdays: 18:00
No late admission.

Duration: 6 hours

Place: House of the Republic / Funkhaus, Argentinierstraße 30A, 1040 Vienna, Austria

Public Capacity: 60

Concept, Book, Direction Signa Köstler

Artistic lead producers: Arthur Köstler, Lorenz Vetter

Set Design: Lorenz Vetter & Signa Köstler with Tristan Kold

Costumes: Signa Köstler, Tristan Kold

Audiovisual concept: Arthur Köstler

Multimedia, Sounddesign: Denis Połeć

Dramaturgy: Mara Nitz

Production: Wiener Festwochen and SIGNA

Devising Ensemble: (in alphabetical order)
Andreas Schneiders as Egon Hinteregger (Care recipient)
Anina Doinet as Isidora Holzbauer (Care recipient)
Annabel Grosse as Jorinda Horn (Nurse)
Anouschka Doinet as Claudine Hartenstein (Care recipient)
Arthur Köstler as Karl Dreschler (Care recipient)
Benita Martins as Fiora Waldecker (Nurse)
Benjamin Spindelberg as Hector Pohl (Lethe)
Charlotta Ruth as Dorit Ebensteiner (Care recipient)
Denis Połeć as Hector Koch (Lethe)
Dominik Klingberg as Hector Stahl (Lethe)
Evi Meinardus as Berenike Harnisch (Care recipient)
Franziska Zauner as Perdita Kastner (Cleaner & black market dealer)
Gabi Hift as Valeska Knappenberger (Care recipient)
Hans-Günter Brünker as Norwin Stettenhof (Spiritual counselor & entertainer)
Helga Sieler as Roswitha Gerst (Care recipient)
Joelina Spieß as Zita Hahn (Nurse)
Joseph Lang as Peter (Relative)
Judith Richter as Dagmar Herbst (Care recipient)
Katharina Mairinger as Wanda (Relative)
Leonie Wegner as Betty (Tavern keeper)
Lotta Thoms as Cara (Relative)
Lucie Rudolph as Geisterjunge (Memory)
Luna Worthmann as Geistermädchen (Memory)
Mara Nitz as Hector Preuss (Lethe)
Marcel Jacqueline “Jackie” Gisdol as Wendelin Gravenstein (Secretary & black market dealer)
Mareike Wenzel as Zelda Dorn (Care recipient)
Mario Högemann as Kuno Bernhofer (Nurse)
Melli Müller as Celena (Relative)
Michael “Willy” Pachner-Doppler as Jimmy (Relative)
Philipp Rauch as Cordian Landauer (Doctor)
Pia Düsterhus as Ivana Feist (Doctor)
Sabrina Strehl as Jolande Bahrenfels (Care recipient)
Saskia Kaufmann as Norberta Kaltenbach (Care recipient)
Signa Köstler as Maria Berndl (Care recipient)
Sonja Salkowitsch as Severina Glogauer (Care recipient)
Stanislaus Dick as Hector Klein (Lethe)
Tilman Gunz as Konrad Huber (Doctor)
Timna Krenn as Romilda Kirsch (Nurse)
Tobias Ofenbauer as Hans (Relative)
Tom Korn as Eros Drosselmayer (Care recipient)
Victor Wewerke as Hector Schenk (Lethe)

Guest Stars:
Agnieszka Salomon as Anna (Toilet attendant)
Luisa Taraz as Rosa (Toilet attendant)

Guest Assistants:
Franziska Zauner, Leonie Wegner, Lotta Thoms, Victor Wewerke

Production Leader:
Matthias Vieider with Jasmin Khlifi

Technicians:
Plan B

Photography:
Erich Goldmann

Thanks to:

48-er Tandler Margareten, Boutiquehotel Stadthalle, Clara Fey Campus Maria Regina, ehem. Sozialmedizinisches Zentrum – Baumgartner Höhe, Otto-Wagner-Spital (Klinik Penzing), FOQUS Ärzteheim Wohn- und Pflegezentrum, Heilsarmee Österreich – Wien, Hilfswerk Wien, Hotel Admiral, Hotel-Pension Baron am Schottentor, Hotel Stefanie, Hotel Viktoria, Imlauer Hotel Wien, Pension Erlaa, Pension Excellence, Urban Boutique Hotel, URBANAUTS Hospitality, Volkshilfe Wien, Kollektiv Plan B Crew GmbH

and

Dr. Alexandra Andorfer-Rameder
Andreas Dusatko
Andreas Ferner
Frau Savic und Miro
Alfred Köstler
Dorthe Arendt Elkjær

In loving memory of Erni Köstler (1945–2024)

Supported by:

Embassy & Permanent Mission of Denmark, Austria

		About Projects Media Credits
	Das Letzte Jahr 2025 The Sixth Sorrow 2025 Das 13. Jahr 2023 Past Whatever Sky 2022 Die Ruhe 2021 The Market 2021 Playthings 2019 Det Åbne Hjerte 2019 Das halbe Leid 2017 Das Heuvolk 2017 Wir Hunde / Us Dogs 2016 Söhne & Söhne 2015 Feberhavnen 2015 Ventestedet 2014 Schwarze Augen, Maria 2013 Club Inferno 2013 Bleier Research, Inc. 2011 Das ehemalige Haus 2011 Die Hundsprozesse 2011 Salò 2010 Germania Song 2009 Die Hades Fraktur 2009 The Dorine Chaikin Trilogy 2007-2008 The Games 2003-2008 Die Erscheinungen der Martha Rubin 2007-2008 Seven Tales of Misery 2006 The Silvana Experiments 2006 The Black Rose Trick 2005 Secret Girl 2004 57 Beds 2004 Night Finder 2003 Twinlife Project 2001-2002	Mareike Wenzel Photo: Erich Goldmann Das Letzte Jahr (2025) A mysterious organisation offers a unique simulation: The Final Year, a six-hour individual journey to the end of one's own life. Family members, staff and the dying are in a care home, on a sun-dappled meadow or outside of the gates of heaven, while the simulation proceeds, pauses, comes full circle. Lifelines blur. We become aware of wrong turns taken. Desires awaken into lived fantasies that are forgotten a moment later. You don't know how or when you got here. What do they want from you here? You do not remember what you lost, but you know that it is huge. You don't know what year it is, it was all so sudden. Your final year. Language: German Tickets: Wiener Festwochen Dates & Times: 17 May – 29 June 2025 Saturdays & Sundays: 16:00 Mondays & Tuesdays: 18:00 No late admission. Duration: 6 hours Place: House of the Republic / Funkhaus, Argentinierstraße 30A, 1040 Vienna, Austria Public Capacity: 60 Concept, Book, Direction Signa Köstler Artistic lead producers: Arthur Köstler, Lorenz Vetter Set Design: Lorenz Vetter & Signa Köstler with Tristan Kold Costumes: Signa Köstler, Tristan Kold Audiovisual concept: Arthur Köstler Multimedia, Sounddesign: Denis Połeć Dramaturgy: Mara Nitz Production: Wiener Festwochen and SIGNA Devising Ensemble: (in alphabetical order) Andreas Schneiders as Egon Hinteregger (Care recipient) Anina Doinet as Isidora Holzbauer (Care recipient) Annabel Grosse as Jorinda Horn (Nurse) Anouschka Doinet as Claudine Hartenstein (Care recipient) Arthur Köstler as Karl Dreschler (Care recipient) Benita Martins as Fiora Waldecker (Nurse) Benjamin Spindelberg as Hector Pohl (Lethe) Charlotta Ruth as Dorit Ebensteiner (Care recipient) Denis Połeć as Hector Koch (Lethe) Dominik Klingberg as Hector Stahl (Lethe) Evi Meinardus as Berenike Harnisch (Care recipient) Franziska Zauner as Perdita Kastner (Cleaner & black market dealer) Gabi Hift as Valeska Knappenberger (Care recipient) Hans-Günter Brünker as Norwin Stettenhof (Spiritual counselor & entertainer) Helga Sieler as Roswitha Gerst (Care recipient) Joelina Spieß as Zita Hahn (Nurse) Joseph Lang as Peter (Relative) Judith Richter as Dagmar Herbst (Care recipient) Katharina Mairinger as Wanda (Relative) Leonie Wegner as Betty (Tavern keeper) Lotta Thoms as Cara (Relative) Lucie Rudolph as Geisterjunge (Memory) Luna Worthmann as Geistermädchen (Memory) Mara Nitz as Hector Preuss (Lethe) Marcel Jacqueline “Jackie” Gisdol as Wendelin Gravenstein (Secretary & black market dealer) Mareike Wenzel as Zelda Dorn (Care recipient) Mario Högemann as Kuno Bernhofer (Nurse) Melli Müller as Celena (Relative) Michael “Willy” Pachner-Doppler as Jimmy (Relative) Philipp Rauch as Cordian Landauer (Doctor) Pia Düsterhus as Ivana Feist (Doctor) Sabrina Strehl as Jolande Bahrenfels (Care recipient) Saskia Kaufmann as Norberta Kaltenbach (Care recipient) Signa Köstler as Maria Berndl (Care recipient) Sonja Salkowitsch as Severina Glogauer (Care recipient) Stanislaus Dick as Hector Klein (Lethe) Tilman Gunz as Konrad Huber (Doctor) Timna Krenn as Romilda Kirsch (Nurse) Tobias Ofenbauer as Hans (Relative) Tom Korn as Eros Drosselmayer (Care recipient) Victor Wewerke as Hector Schenk (Lethe) Guest Stars: Agnieszka Salomon as Anna (Toilet attendant) Luisa Taraz as Rosa (Toilet attendant) Guest Assistants: Franziska Zauner, Leonie Wegner, Lotta Thoms, Victor Wewerke Production Leader: Matthias Vieider with Jasmin Khlifi Technicians: Plan B Photography: Erich Goldmann Thanks to: 48-er Tandler Margareten, Boutiquehotel Stadthalle, Clara Fey Campus Maria Regina, ehem. Sozialmedizinisches Zentrum – Baumgartner Höhe, Otto-Wagner-Spital (Klinik Penzing), FOQUS Ärzteheim Wohn- und Pflegezentrum, Heilsarmee Österreich – Wien, Hilfswerk Wien, Hotel Admiral, Hotel-Pension Baron am Schottentor, Hotel Stefanie, Hotel Viktoria, Imlauer Hotel Wien, Pension Erlaa, Pension Excellence, Urban Boutique Hotel, URBANAUTS Hospitality, Volkshilfe Wien, Kollektiv Plan B Crew GmbH and Dr. Alexandra Andorfer-Rameder Andreas Dusatko Andreas Ferner Frau Savic und Miro Alfred Köstler Dorthe Arendt Elkjær In loving memory of Erni Köstler (1945–2024) Supported by: Embassy & Permanent Mission of Denmark, Austria