Tasting (6+): Great theater fun for little explorers in Mannheim

Tasting (6+): A delicious theater experience for curious children

What happens when the kitchen comes on stage and food suddenly sounds, smells, and feels completely different? In "Tasting (6+)" at the Young National Theater Mannheim, children from the age of six explore the world of food using all their senses. This family experience combines theater, object play, and contemporary circus into an entertaining learning experience about enjoyment, disgust, sharing, and the question of whether there is really enough food for everyone.

When the kitchen becomes the stage

Appetizer, main course, and dessert are ready – but behind a finished meal lies much more than a full plate. The performance invites children to look closer: How does food sound? How do we know something tastes good? What does our body do when food is unfamiliar or even disgusting?

With eight ovens, a refrigerator, and two actors, a imaginative stage space is created where kitchen items take on new roles. Children experience how everyday things turn into theater and playfully discover their own perceptions.

Child-friendly questions about food and sharing

"Tasting" addresses topics that children are familiar with from their everyday lives. Where does our food come from? How are foodstuffs grown, harvested, and cooked? And with whom do we prefer to share our meal – with friends in the playground or ideally with no one?

These questions foster curiosity, language development, and social learning. The production provides children with the space to share their own experiences and learn about different attitudes. This creates an age-appropriate learning experience that connects enjoyment, community, and responsibility.

Movement, sound, and wonder

The production by Stefan Ebner moves between object and physical theater and incorporates influences from contemporary circus. Sounds from the kitchen, physical comedy, and surprising transformations elicit laughter from children and create a lively theater moment.

The Young National Theater Mannheim designs its program for young audiences with different age groups in mind. "Tasting" lasts about an hour and is aimed at children from six years, families, and school classes. The clear age recommendation supports parents in choosing an appropriate and child-friendly theater visit.

A family experience with educational value

Good children's theater opens up conversation topics and strengthens quality time together. After the performance, families can discuss what sounds food makes, which dishes taste good, and why sharing can sometimes be easy or difficult.

The production connects sensory impressions with educational impulses: Children observe, listen, marvel, and reflect. This creates opportunities for developing perception, imagination, empathy, and self-expression. Safety and orientation are supported by the fixed event location in the Young NTM hall of the Old Fire Station.

Conclusion: Together develop an appetite for theater

"Tasting (6+)" turns an everyday meal into a surprising stage adventure. Families can expect a humorous, sensory, and stimulating children's play about food, body sensation, origin, and community. Those who want to experience a special learning experience full of wonder, children's laughter, and quality time should discover this theater experience live.

Official channels of Tasting:

• Instagram: no official profile found
• Facebook: no official profile found
• YouTube: no official profile found
• Website: https://www.nationaltheater-mannheim.de/spielplan/2026-11/--join---abschmecken-6/4901/

Sources:

• National Theater Mannheim – Tasting (6+)
• National Theater Mannheim – Young NTM and Venue Old Fire Station
• Regioactive – Tasting (6+) in Mannheim