THE FESTIVAL
The BAFF! Festival, which has been shaping the puppet theater spectacle in Basel for 30 years, offers a platform for international artists to present the facets of modern puppet theater every two years.
From September 11 to 14, 2025 and on September 19 to 21, 2025, the festival once again invites you to discover the vibrant world of puppet theater, while this year it is dedicated to the focus topic «Heritages».
BAFF! 2025 is more than just a puppet theater festival; it is a celebration of dialogue, cultural reflection and artistic innovation. By focusing on the origins of our stories, beliefs and social structures, the festival offers a valuable opportunity to engage with our own identity and the diverse cultures of the world.
The International Basel Figure Theatre Festival has existed since the 1990s.
In this anniversary year, we are celebrating its 30th anniversary.
The festival is being held by the association BAFF! International Basel Figure Theatre Festival. The board consists of Sasha Mazzotti (president), Andreas Gschwind, Bernadette Hauert, Christian Schuppli, Christoph Haering and Franziska von Blarer. Kathrin Doppler and Marius Kob have been running the festival as an equal management team since the eighth edition.
Kathrin Doppler directs the International Basel Figure Theatre Festival BAFF! together with Marius Kob. Her education includes a Master’s degree in Transdisciplinarity at the Zurich University of the Arts, studies at the Universities of Bern, Basel and Sorbonne in Paris in Religious Studies, Theatre and Dance Studies, as well as dance training in Germany. She is currently involved in the core and programme team of the multimedia cultural stage Royal Baden and as curator of the immersive art exhibition at the thermal bath Bagno Popolare. She also curates programmes for various festivals. Her artistic work flows around the boundaries of performance art, contemporary dance and object theatre. At the moment, she is exploring the relationship between subject and object in collaboration with the English dancer Rosie Terry Toogood in Cuba, England and Switzerland under the title Sobject.
Marius Kob born 1982 in Halle/Saale, is a freelance puppeteer. 2004 -2009 Studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, Diploma Figure Theater. 2009-2011 Studies at the Bern University of the Arts, Master Scenic Arts Practice. Since 2013 co-director of BAFF! – international Basel Figure Theater Festival Basel. Marius Kob develops his own theater productions and is engaged with theater companies and theaters as a figure player, actor, figure builder and coach. Current and past stations: Kaserne Basel, Theater Basel, Oper Zürich, Oper Bern, Theater Stadelhofen, Schlachthaustheater Bern, Theaterhaus Frankfurt, FITZ Stuttgart, Theatre de Marionnettes de Genève, Staatsoper Stuttgart and various international theater festivals. He conducts theater projects with children and young people at schools and institutions of cultural education. His work is aimed at young and adult audiences and varies according to artistic projects.
Martina Pan is the communications manager of BAFF! She studied cultural anthropology and media science and works for the Museum der Kulturen Basel. There she is responsible for the digital communication. Since 2015 she is also self-employed and works with her small company equivalent as a film, culture and media creator for different projects and productions, among others in collaboration with the Wildwuchs Festival, the Polyfon Festival or the SRF Reporter.
Claudia Berger makes the coproduction management together with Pilar Felix.
As a sociocultural animator and cultural scientist, she is involved in various cultural and social projects on a freelance basis and works, among other things, as a social educator in children’s and youth residential groups, as an experiential educator, for the pop-up cultural center Himmelszelt and for the young association vario am Lindeberg 21.
Dirk Hauer is responsible for technology at BAFF!
Anna Dafne Alessi is responsible for fundraising at BAFF! After studying acting at the Schauspielakademie Zurich and a master’s degree in German and Philosophy at the University of Basel, she works in projects in the fields of visual arts, theater, performance, film and literature as an actress, performer, assistant director, director, curator, author, journalist, editor and cultural manager. Together with 4 other media professionals she publishes CINEMA, the Swiss Film Yearbook. She is responsible for the fundraising of the Swiss Film Yearbook CINEMA, the international Duo L’Air Du Temps and the Chamber Music Arlesheim.
Franziska Wetzler is responsible for ticketing at BAFF!
She is a trained craniosacral therapist and has a background in educational work as well as several years of experience in supporting people with disabilities. She volunteers as an editor for a specialist magazine in the field of inclusion and brings organizational skills, empathy, and a keen sense for people to the festival team.
Philipp Condrau has completed several internships as a graphic designer before going to the University of Plymouth to study “Graphic Communication w. Typography” and graduated with distinction. He is self-employed with his Bureau Condrau and designs the graphic appearance of BAFF!
… maybe soon YOU too: If you would like to become part of the BAFF! team, then register here.
We would like to sincerely thank all the venues that have made BAFF! 2025 a city festival through their commitment and dedication.
FESTIVAL CENTRE MÜNSTERPLATZ
MÜNSTERPLATZ SQUARE, 4051 BASEL
ALLGEMEINE LESEGESELLSCHAFT BASEL
MÜNSTERPLATZ 8, 4051 BASEL
BASLER MARIONETTEN THEATER
MÜNSTERPLATZ 8, 4051 BASEL
TANZHAUS BASEL
HORBUGSTRASSE 105, 4057 BASEL
MUSEUM DER KULTUREN BASEL
MÜNSTERPLATZ 20, 4051 BASEL
THEATER BASEL
THEATERSTRASSE 7, 4051 BASEL
KASERNE BASEL
KLYBECKSTRASSE 1B, 4057 BASEL
VORSTADTTHEATER BASEL
ALLSCHWILERPLATZ 22, 4055 BASEL
THEATER ROXY BIRSFELDEN
MUTTENZSTRASSE 6, 4125 BIRSFELDEN
Many thanks to our partners!
Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Stadt
Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Landschaft
Gottfried und Ursula Schäppi-Jecklin Stiftung
BLKB – Stiftung Kultur & Bildung
Scheidegger Thommen Stiftung
Saly Frommer Foundation
KIWANIS
SALY FROMMER FOUNDATION











