The illustrated representation of the theater history of Bern provides insights into the diversity of theatrical activities from the Middle Ages to the present day. The range includes religious and traditional spectacle events, forms of representation from various social groups, performances by traveling troupes, engagements of emigrants at the city theater, and experiments in cellar stages, all the way to the fragmented coexistence of today's dance, theater, and festival scene.

The chronologically arranged overview focuses on scenic events that are particularly characteristic of Bern or have been neglected by research. The presentation of the wide spectrum of spectacle events in the context of the city's history goes beyond the usual framework of text- and institution-based theater histories; as a work by multiple authors, it offers a heterogeneous and multiperspective overall view that integrates previously published individual accounts and emphasizes new questions.