IN THE MIRROR HALL

German by Katharina Erben
Stage adaptation by Jana Findeklee and Joki Tewes

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest in the land? In the whole land? In the whole world! The fairest? And what about the fairest of them all? In the mirror hall of the digital world, images of the fairest of the fair are mirrored and reflected an infinite number of times. And we are all right in the middle of it! But how have ideas of beauty developed over the last 2,000 years, and how have beauty ideals been socially constructed? Why do mirror images take on a life of their own and put pressure on us? Who looks back at us from the mirror, and why do we want to be like HER or HIM – but above all, someone else? And, oh, why does physical beauty have the irritating property of being fleeting...

In the theatrical adaptation of the comic "In the Mirror Hall," none other than Empress Sisi, Marilyn Monroe, Snow White's stepmother, the Kardashians, and prominent philosophers come together to address all these questions. With wit and sharp insight, they delve into these topics and inspire collective joyful thinking.

Swedish artist Liv Strömquist is regarded as one of the most successful feminist comic artists. In the non-fiction comic "In the Mirror Hall," published in German in 2021, she cleverly and humorously processes sociological and philosophical insights and theses in an understandable and provocative manner. As in her other graphic novels, Liv Strömquist manages to combine a playful examination of the topic with a critical perspective on the mechanisms of late capitalism. The two artists Jana Findeklee and Joki Tewes have been shaping award-winning productions with their aesthetically distinctive works for years. In their directorial debut, they combine creative visions with playful imagination alongside the six ensemble members.