Event categories

• Theatre

Date
01/05/2026-05/05/2026

8:00 PM

Location / Link:

Brighton Dome Corn Exchange

Directed by Omar Elerian | Performed by Arinzé Kene
‘If a man can break the circle of the world for just two horses, then it means that that circle can be broken at any moment…’

The first ever Brighton Festival Production, and a world premiere, Kohlhaas has been developed specifically for the refurbished Brighton Dome Corn Exchange. A bold adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist’s novella Michael Kohlhaas, it asks what happens when justice fails, and one man refuses to let it go?

Performed by the critically acclaimed Arinzé Kene (Misty, Girl From The North Country, Get Up Stand Up), Kohlhaas tells the story of a 16th century German horse dealer who seeks redress after a local Baron tricks him out of his two most beautiful horses.

When met with corruption and indifference, a principled demand for fairness spirals into an uncompromising quest for justice, with violent and far-reaching consequences.

Translated and directed by Omar Elerian (Misty, The Chairs, Rhinoceros), and adapted by the pioneering Italian playwrights, Marco Baliani and Remo Rostagno, Kohlhaas reunites Elerian and Kene in their first one-man show since the Olivier-Award nominated Misty.

Urgent, unsettling and fiercely contemporary, Kohlhaas is an atmospheric, brooding journey into the psychology of protest and resistance, asking what does justice really look like when systems are broken, and rights are denied – and how far is too far?

‘Kleist’s tale about the consequences of injustice will never not be relevant and is so thrilling that once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop for anything. Stunning’ – Ali Smith (The Guardian, Dec 2025)

Theatre
Preview: Fri 1 May, 8pm
Premiere: Sat 2 May, 8pm
Sun 3 May, 4pm & 8pm
Mon & Tue 5* May, 8pm
Duration: 70min, no interval

Tickets £25, £35
Premium Seats £45
Under 30’s £20 (limited allocation)
See more events with Under 30s pricing
Members Preview Fri 1 May £30 (normally £35)

This event is taking place at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange

*Post-show talk

Biography: Omar Elerian
Director

Omar Elerian is a freelance director, dramaturg, and theatre-maker. Italian of Palestinian descent, Elerian trained in Italy and then graduated from Lecoq International Theatre School in Paris in 2005. He was the resident associate director at London’s Bush Theatre from 2012 to 2019 where he commissioned and directed some of the theatre’s most successful shows.

His directing credits include the smash-hit Misty by Arinzé Kene (Bush Theatre, West End and New York), NASSIM by Nassim Soleimanpour (Bush Theatre, Traverse Theatre, and world tour), Going Through by Estelle Savasta, and Islands by Caroline Horton. His most recent directing credits include Nowhere by Khalid Abdalla (FUEL/BAC/tour) The Chairs and Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco (Almeida Theatre); Two Palestinians Go Dogging by Sami Ibrahim (Royal Court), As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company), ECHO by Nassim Soleimanpour (LIFT/Royal Court/tour) and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo by Rajiv Joseph (Young Vic).

Credits
Italian adaptation from the original novella by Marco Baliani and Remo Rostagno
English translation by Omar Elerian
Directed by Omar Elerian
Lighting and Smoke Effects Design by Jackie Shemesh (Lost Dog)
Design by Ana Inés Jabares-Pita
Composition and Sound Design by Matthew Herbert
Performed by Arinzé Kene MBE (Winner of Best Male Actor in a Play at the Black British Theatre Awards for Misty)

Adapted from the original novella Michael Kohlhaas (1808) by Heinrich von Kleist

Supported by Louise & Jamie Arnell

*There is a £3.50 per order charge for all phone and online bookings (not applicable to Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival members)

**Stage timings are subject to change

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Dress Code: None

Age Limits: Check at venue / lister / promoter's website