Letters aren’t usually meant to be read out to an audience. But when they are, the results are compelling, unpredictable and objectively hilarious. That’s the premise behind Letters Live, the event series where famous faces read noteworthy letters in front of a hall full of people. The format began in London in 2013 and has since hosted the likes of Taika Waititi, Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. They read written notes that might begin as playful and chatty musings but unfold into uplifting – and utterly relatable – human stories. The effect is something like TED meets This American Life. After nights in New York and Paris, the Letters Live franchise is making its Berlin debut next Wednesday (26.06.2024) at the Philharmonie. The lineup for the event includes Christian Brückner, Anke Engelke, Sebastian Koch, Ibadet Ramadani, Devid Striesow, Sabin Tambrea, and Nikko Weidemann – plus more surprise guests – reading letters that range from the raw and emotional to the impish and absurd. Tickets for the evening – which is being held in aid of the charitable foundation Children For Tomorrow – can be purchased online. The full line-up and letters won’t be known until the night itself, but expect to grin, gasp, eye roll and weep with laughter…
Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Heribert Schindler & Andy Paradise
Letters Live 26.06.2024, is held in German and English – tickets available here.
@letterslive
