At first glance, theatre and musicals don't have much to do with the gothic scene, even if wicked tongues keep claiming that the followers of the subculture wear "costumes". They don't! They wear their flashy clothes - if possible - in everyday life as well. Theatre and musicals, however, are among the Goths' favourite pastimes. As with other art forms, the abysmal, the fantastic or the sinister is very often depicted on stage. The struggle between good and evil is also a theme in many scripts.
So it's not surprising that at big festivals, like the Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig, theatre performances are also part of the supporting programme. The more mystical, creepy and inexplicable it gets on stage, the more the "children of the night" like to watch. Classics like Carmilla or Dance of the Vampires are of course particularly popular, but new authors and small ensembles also get their chance. If the theatre performance then takes place in a cave, such as the Harz stalactite caves, the gothic heart leaps. The black romantics are by nature already dressed appropriately for a visit to the theatre. The others temporarily throw themselves into the "little black dress".
