Theaterfestival OverActing 2024 brings together theatre and music, research and art, emotion and reason. Through performances, lectures, spoken word and an acting workshop, OverActing 2024 explores the power of the theatrical and cinematic traditions of the past, from Byron’s Manfred (1816) to the ground breaking silent film masterpiece Der letzte Mann (1924). Are the pronounced gestures, poses and facial expressions of past centuries incomprehensible to us, or might they form a source of emotional pleasure if we open ourselves up to them? We take you on a journey through human feelings, lovingly painted using the techniques of a lost acting tradition. Confrontational? Perhaps. Exciting? For sure! After experiencing what OverActing has to offer, you will look at contemporary theatre with refreshed eyes. 

The event is organized by The Academy of Creative and Performing Arts of Leiden University with its partner organizations: Leiden International Film Festival, Stadsgehoorzaal Leiden, Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag and Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht.