When does the performance take place?

The performance is on May 22, 2026, at 19:30 at the Chamber Stage Cottbus.

How much do the tickets cost?

The advance sale lists prices starting from 22.30 euros per ticket.

Where is The Sick Note performed?

It will be performed at the Chamber Stage of the Staatstheater Cottbus at Wernerstraße 60, 03046 Cottbus.

Is the venue accessible?

Yes, the Chamber Stage offers barrier-free access and designated disabled parking spaces near the entrance.

What is the play based on?

The production is a world premiere by Sokola//Spreter and is inspired by Heinrich von Kleist's fragment Robert Guiskard.

Kleist has a fever, power wavers: The Sick Note ignites Cottbus on stage

Name: The Sick Note
Start: 2026-05-22T21:30:00+02:00
End: 2026-05-22T23:30:00+02:00
Location: Kammerbühne

When Kleist has a fever, the stage becomes a laboratory of power

With The Sick Note, the Staatstheater Cottbus presents a world premiere on May 22, 2026, in the Chamber Stage, transforming Heinrich von Kleist's fragment Robert Guiskard into a contemporary, gripping theater experience. Sokola//Spreter rely on a constellation of power, illness, reason, and collective pressure – a material that vibrates in dramaturgy between political thriller, linguistic laboratory, and body drama. Aram Tafreshian is responsible for the Chamber Stage; the premiere is part of the 2025/2026 season of the Staatstheater Cottbus. ([berlin.de](https://www.berlin.de/en/tickets/theatre/die-krankschreibung-staatstheater-cottbus-5f2b9815-7fe4-4d95-921a-d09817f27079/))

A fragment that meets the present

Kleist's unfinished Robert Guiskard material revolves around the moment when power suddenly appears vulnerable. This is precisely where the Cottbus production draws its tension: What legitimizes power when strength becomes fragile? How do truth and authority sound when the body itself becomes a political argument? The official description of the play names this conflict as a struggle between reason and science, war and illness, rage, dignity, and reality. The result promises no sluggish classic interpretation but a dense stage experience with clear contemporary friction. ([berlin.de](https://www.berlin.de/en/tickets/theatre/die-krankschreibung-staatstheater-cottbus-5f2b9815-7fe4-4d95-921a-d09817f27079/))

Chamber Stage: close, direct, concentrated

The Chamber Stage of the Staatstheater Cottbus is considered a multifunctional venue for drama, music theater, and dance. The house was transformed from the former construction workers' house into a performance venue in the 1990s; today it offers ground-level access, flexible seating, and an urban location at Wernerstraße 60. Those who take a seat here experience theater atmosphere without distance: acoustics, lighting mood, and the immediate closeness of the performers intensify every scene. Accessible entrances and designated disabled parking spaces are available for visitors with mobility impairments. ([reiseland-brandenburg.de](https://www.reiseland-brandenburg.de/poi/spreewald/buehnen/kammerbuehne-staatstheater-cottbus/))

Production with a political pulse

The production works with material that has repeatedly been read as a space of thought about power, decay, and collective fear in theater history. The fact that Sokola//Spreter present their premiere in Cottbus adds extra authority to the evening: The author duo has already been awarded for their joint works, while the Staatstheater Cottbus clearly focuses on new voices with its acting profile and current premiere line. For the audience, this results in an evening that not only tells but also questions. This is precisely where the strength of this production lies: It challenges perception, judgment, and the desire for debate. ([berlin.de](https://www.berlin.de/en/tickets/theatre/die-krankschreibung-staatstheater-cottbus-5f2b9815-7fe4-4d95-921a-d09817f27079/))

Audience proximity and theater experience

The preliminary data already speaks for a concentrated theater evening: The performance begins on May 22, 2026, at 19:30, with advance ticket prices starting at 22.30 euros. Additionally, there is another performance listed on the official schedule for June 6, 2026. Those interested in contemporary theater, Kleist reception, and intelligent directorial work will find a strong offer here that combines literary depth with current urgency. ([berlin.de](https://www.berlin.de/en/tickets/theatre/die-krankschreibung-staatstheater-cottbus-5f2b9815-7fe4-4d95-921a-d09817f27079/))

Conclusion

The Sick Note promises an intelligent, body-close, and politically charged stage experience at the Chamber Stage Cottbus. Anyone who loves theater that does not conserve classics but energizes them should experience this evening live. ([berlin.de](https://www.berlin.de/en/tickets/theatre/die-krankschreibung-staatstheater-cottbus-5f2b9815-7fe4-4d95-921a-d09817f27079/))