Project Overview
HEARTBEATS – Wie schlägt dein Herz – Mission Schwedt is a digital city walk and live game theatre production at the Uckermärkische Bühnen Schwedt. A dark shadow falls over the city: something changes slowly at first, then ever more noticeably. It grows cold. Piece by piece, love disappears from memories, places and stories — Schwedt loses its Heartbeats. Who is behind it? And what role do you play: Herzhüter (heart keeper) or Herzfresser (heart eater)?
Players join the Herzfresser Raven Ashbeat and Cael Cor, or the Herzhüter Sunny Wildheart and Gigi Loop, on a mission through Schwedt. They collect as many Heartbeats as possible and leave their own traces in the city. The Dome on the theater forecourt is the heart of the city and displays the live score — Herzfresser versus Herzhüter.
The project combines a free, flexible smartphone game with ticketed live performances that bring the characters and missions into the streets of Schwedt.
Media
.svg)
Concept & Approach
HEARTBEATS was developed as a digital city walk (digitaler Stadtspaziergang) with an integrated live format. The smartphone game lets visitors explore Schwedt at their own pace using a phone, headphones and mobile data. The live version (HEARTBEATS – LIVE) turns the game world into a shared, site-specific experience: together with Sunny, Gigi, Cael or Raven, participants solve tasks, puzzles and courage challenges and help determine what becomes of the heart of Schwedt.
Format development, artistic concept and game design were created by an interdisciplinary team spanning game theatre, technology and dramaturgy — building on the theatre’s experience with interactive and location-based productions.
Project Details
- Year: 2026
- Venue: Uckermärkische Bühnen Schwedt
- Genre: Digital city walk / Game theatre / Location-based experience
- Smartphone game: From 7 May 2026, free, flexible play — schwedt.love
- Dome opening & game start: 7 May 2026, 19:00, Theatervorplatz (free admission)
- Live premiere: 17 May 2026, 17:00, start and end at the Dome on the Theatervorplatz (tickets at the theater box office)
- Further live dates: 14 June, 1 July and 12 July 2026, each 17:00 at the Vorplatz
- Live format: Max. 60 participants per performance; punctual start at 17:00; barrier-free tour; weather-appropriate clothing recommended
- Requirements (app): Smartphone, headphones, mobile data
- Website: Official project page
Credits
Cast:
- Raven Ashbeat / Isa Schlagow: Katharina Apitz
- Cael Cor / Tommy Schneider: Dennis Weissert
- Gigi Loop / Elly Westfall: Antonia Schwingel
- Sunny Wildheart / Felix Schlagow: Daniel Richard Bogacki
- Freddy Grey / Bodyguard: Christian Hirseland
- Heartbeats / Herzfresser / Herzhüter: Renate Becker, Timothée Evan Frank, Luise Magosch, Klaus Rosigkeit, Sophia Siury, Tobias Taßler, Jürgen Zabelt (members of Bürgerbühne Schwedt e.V.)
Creative Team:
- Format development, artistic concept and game design: Samia Chancrin, Markus Schubert, Sarah Methner, Oscar Belter
- Play development: entire team
- Production management, directing assistance: Daniel Richard Bogacki
- Directing assistance, video, photos: Christian Hirseland
Production:
- Theatre: Uckermärkische Bühnen Schwedt
- Year: 2026