University Players

A specific seminar at the Institute of English and American Studies uses UP productions as starting points for exploring aesthetics, drama analysis, and the humanities more broadly. It regularly features renowned guest speakers from academia and the arts. Moreover, UP activities are communicated and sometimes coordinated with the institute at large, ensuring their integration into courses and curricula. Occasionally, there are active collaborations between the UP and individual lecturers. UP productions are often accompanied by interdisciplinary panels addressing a broad audience. Members of the institute’s language practice are part of the editorial team of our program magazine, the UP News. UP productions have also been discussed in academic publications and conferences, such as the Comparative Drama Journal and Conference.

The UP News is a comprehensive program magazine that accompanies every production. Featuring scholarly, journalistic, and creative contributions, it illuminates and expands the production from aesthetic, historical and artistic perspectives. Writers include students, pupils, lecturers, and community members. For many students, the UP News is a first chance to gain editorial experience and publish their writing. The magazine is available at the shows on a donation basis and Hamburg schools receive free copies. While still printed in limited numbers, the UP News is also available online: up-news.de.

Joining the University Players offers an experience akin to working in a professional theater. The well-equipped workshop spaces for set-building, large costume collection, highly knowledgeable tech team, professional PR department, polished production magazine, and much more provide near-professional working conditions. New members are guided by more experienced UP members and can quickly find their feet, discovering and developing their own areas of interest and expertise. Some UP productions are performed in Hamburg’s independent theater spaces, making the UP a first step for students into the city’s wider cultural world. It’s a chance to gain valuable experience, build networks, and explore potential professional paths.

The bi-weekly UPlay improv workshop was revived in 2023. It is fully self-taught and self-organized. The group is a vibrant mix of active students, university staff, and people from outside the university. The UP support everyone interested in setting up their own improv group or explore the art in new ways.

The UP maintain strong connections with the English-language theater community across Europe. As a regular participant in international festivals such as the FEATS – Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies (rotating locations) and the Easter Festival of One Act & Full-Length Plays on the Isle of Man, the UP showcase their work on an international stage and strengthen their reputation within the community.

For many pupils, seeing a UP performance is their first encounter with English-language theater—and often their first taste of university life. The UP take this role seriously and maintain strong partnerships with schools and teachers, regularly offering workshops that range from topic- or author-focused lessons to practical theater sessions, all free of charge. The UP also offer introductory events, giving students context for what they’re about to see. If a prior arrangement has been made, pupils can talk to the performers after the show and ask questions. Teachers and students are also encouraged to write reviews of productions, which may be featured in UP News.

Participating in a UP production is an opportunity primarily for students at the University of Hamburg. Yet, as a nonprofit organization (“eingetragener Verein”), the UP welcome interested in English-language theater.