Director and actor Max Merker was born in Munich in 1976. He studied acting and physical theater at the Folkwang Hochschule, Essen, as well as philosophy and German at the Freie Universität Berlin and in Freiburg. From 2007 to 2010 Max Merker was a member of the ensemble of the Theater Orchestra Biel Solothurn. Since 2011 he has been a freelance actor and director. 

Merker’s own theater production «Tristan – A Cocktail called Love» received the Prize of the Jury of the «100 Grad Festival» in Berlin, as well as the Prize of the Public and the Jury at the ARENA-Festival of Young Art. In 2013 Merker developed the play «Authentizitätsprothesen – Jetzt aber echt» (Authenticity Prosthesis – but Really) at the Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik in Zurich, in collaboration with Malte Schlösser. In 2015 he mounted his production LACHEN VERBOTEN – EINE HOMMAGE AN BUSTER KEATON (Laughter Forbidden – a Homage to Buster Keaton) at the Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn, where it premiered. It was later staged at the Fullspin-Festival Essen, at the Kleintheater Luzern, at the Kurtheater Baden, at the Staatstheater Saarbrücken, as well as Theater Rigiblick in Zurich, the Freilichtspiele Schwäbisch Hall and the Theater Winterthur.

With his freelance production BEFORE I SPEAK, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY! Max Merker was invited to the Schweizer Theatertreffen 2017 (Swiss Theatre Encounter 2017). This play came into being in collaboration with Matthias Schoch and Martin Bieri at the Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik in Zurich and made a guest appearance at the Kleintheater Luzern as well as at the Theaterdiscounter Berlin, the ThiK in Baden, the Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn, the Freilichtspiele Schwäbisch Hall and the Théâtre du Passage Neuchatel.

The staging of «Der Chinese» (The Chinese) at the Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn was awarded the «NachSpielPreis» by the Heidelberger Stückemarkt in 2017.

In 2017, Merker created another freelance production in collaboration with Christoph Rath and Martin Bieri at the Theater Winkelwiese in Zurich. It’s called WAS ICH IMMER SCHON MAL SAGEN WOLLTE, ABER IHR EUCH NICHT GETRAUT HABT! Furthermore, Merker staged «Ronja Räubertochter» (Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter) and «Väter» (Fathers) at the Luzerner Theater. 

During the 2018/19 season Merker continues his collaboration with the Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn by staging George Orwell’s «Animal Farm», as well as his new freelance production GHOSTS in collaboration with Bieri/Murray/Pavillon/Schoch at the Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik in Zurich. 

Max Merker directed twice with the independent Zurich theatre group Kolypan, in «Heureka - wer hat's erfunden?» with Fabienne Hadorn, Gustavo Nanez and Herwig Ursin and in «Toto und Laura - die Bremer Stadtmusikant:innen». He performed with the theatre group «kraut_produktionen» in «21st Century Skills» directed by Michel Schröder. In 2021 Max Merker taught the module «Let's get physical» in acting at the ZHdK. In the 2022/23 season Max Merker developed another co-production with Aaron Hitz at the Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn with «Kafka in colour» as well as the play for young audiences «Versteckt» (text: Ariane von Graffenried, Martin Bieri) at the Luzerner Theater.

At the beginning of 2023, OLD WHITE CLOWNS, a free production with Emma Murray and Téné Ouelgo in collaboration with Martin Bieri and Viviane Pavillon, was created at Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik Zurich in co-production with Kleintheater Luzern and ThiK Baden. This was followed by «La Strada», a production at Bühnen Bern in collaboration with Heitere Fahne Bern.

PRODUCTIONS

UPCOMING EVENTS