Milo Rau's 'Hate Radio' Examines Rwandan Genocide Broadcast

The director's chilling recreation of a 1994 radio broadcast that incited violence is now onstage in New York.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Milo Rau's play "Hate Radio" recreates a 1994 broadcast by the infamous RTLM radio station in Rwanda, which Hutu hard-liners used to direct attacks against the country's Tutsi minority during the 100-day genocide. The play, which is now performing at St. Ann's Warehouse in New York, draws from archival material to depict the hosts spewing racist propaganda and using pop music to appeal to young listeners. Rau, who was 17 years old in Switzerland during the genocide, was struck by how the horrors unfolded alongside the music he was listening to at the time.

Why it matters

Rau's work with his company, the International Institute of Political Murder, often examines historical episodes of violence, aiming to dissolve barriers between performance and life. "Hate Radio" is part of a trio of Rau's works being presented in New York, which also includes "The Interrogation" and "The Pelicot Trial," all of which explore how mass dehumanization and cruelty can take root.

The details

"Hate Radio" is essentially a diorama that recreates the 1994 RTLM radio broadcast, with actors playing the hosts who spew racist rhetoric and intersperse it with pop music. The audience reads supertitles and listens through headphones, creating an immersive and unsettling experience. Rau's work with IIPM is known for dissolving barriers between performance and reality, often collaborating with real people involved in the historical events being depicted.

  • In 1994, Rau was a 17-year-old in Switzerland during the Rwandan genocide.
  • "Hate Radio" began performances at St. Ann's Warehouse on Thursday, February 14, 2026.

The players

Milo Rau

A writer-director-activist who is considered one of the most influential theater makers in Europe. He founded the International Institute of Political Murder (IIPM), which creates works that examine historical episodes of violence.

RTLM

The infamous radio station in Rwanda that Hutu hard-liners used to direct attacks against the country's Tutsi minority during the 1994 genocide.

Kantano Habimana

A presenter on RTLM who spewed racist propaganda during the 1994 broadcasts.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

After "Hate Radio," Rau will stage the French writer Édouard Louis's monologue "The Interrogation" at NYU Skirball from March 26-28, and on March 29, Skirball will host Rau and the French dramaturg Servane Dècle as they present "The Pelicot Trial," a four-hour reading of documents from last year's trial of Dominique Pelicot.

The takeaway

Rau's work with IIPM aims to dissolve barriers between performance and life, often examining historical episodes of mass violence and dehumanization. "Hate Radio," along with the other works being presented in New York, demonstrates how cruelty and fascism can take root in society, even alongside the music and pop culture of the time.