Mrs Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library
Mrs Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at Traverse Theatre. It has 22 performances listed, running from Thu 6 Aug, 10:15 to Sun 30 Aug, 12:45. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
1933 Berlin. With martial law in effect, political activism has become a capital crime. When a young Gestapo officer arrests a philosophy graduate student, her interrogation will endanger them both. Direct from its critically acclaimed Off-Broadway premiere, Jenny Lyn Bader’s new play – inspired by the real-life arrest of Hannah Arendt – illuminates the struggle for human connection and moral imagination in dark times. North American new writing theatre Luna Stage and Olivier, Tony and Emmy Award-winning producer Richard Jordan return to the Traverse following their 2025 Scotsman Fringe First sell-out production RIFT.
Details
- Venue: Traverse Theatre
- Space: Traverse 2
- Genre: THEATRE, New writing, Political
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Running time: 80 minutes
- Room size: about 115 seats (Traverse 2) — the Fringe box office sells a share of the room, not all of it
- Performances listed: 22, of which 0 still to come and on sale
Accessibility
- Wheelchair access: lift
- Access features: Step-free access, Accessible toilet
- Venue notes: Wheelchair access type:Lift (Building Lift) Stairs: 20+ Number of stairs is provided as guidance and is not in addition to any wheelchair access type (lift/ramp etc) stated above.
What the reviewers said
We have captured 5 published reviews and 18 audience reviews for this show from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s own listing. The excerpts below are the reviewers’ words, not ours — follow each link for the full review.
Jenny Lyn Bader’s Mrs Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library takes us to Berlin in 1933, shortly after the Nazis have come to power.
Mrs Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library may not get everything right, but it succeeds with more than enough to make for an enthralling piece of theatre.
— Plays To See (4 out of 5 stars)
A beautifully crafted piece of theatre delivered with powerful performances and tight, skilful direction. Set in 1933 in Berlin the play mirrors the growth of gestapo powers and criminalisation of political activism…
— UK Theatre Web (5 out of 5 stars)
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Thu 6 Aug, 10:15 — Already performed — £20.50
- Fri 7 Aug, 18:00 — Already performed — £25.50
- Sat 8 Aug, 15:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Sun 9 Aug, 18:00 — Already performed — £25.50
- Tue 11 Aug, 20:30 — Already performed — £25.50
- Wed 12 Aug, 10:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Thu 13 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £25.50
- Fri 14 Aug, 15:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Sat 15 Aug, 18:00 — Already performed — £25.50
- Sun 16 Aug, 20:30 — Already performed — £25.50
- Tue 18 Aug, 10:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Wed 19 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £25.50
- Thu 20 Aug, 15:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Fri 21 Aug, 18:00 — Already performed — £25.50
- Sat 22 Aug, 20:30 — Already performed — £25.50
- Sun 23 Aug, 10:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Tue 25 Aug, 10:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Wed 26 Aug, 15:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Thu 27 Aug, 18:00 — Already performed — £25.50
- Fri 28 Aug, 20:30 — Already performed — £25.50
- Sat 29 Aug, 10:15 — Already performed — £25.50
- Sun 30 Aug, 12:45 — Already performed — £25.50