Forget the Disneyfied versions of Jonathan Swift’s classic. This production turned the narrative on its head—literally.
The protagonist was reimagined as a woman, "Gullivera," used as a vessel to explore themes of feminism and female liberation.
In April 2017, the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater opened its doors to something far beyond a traditional fairy tale. To kick off the —a celebration of "new performative alliances"—the theater staged "Gulliveras Reise / Die Rache" (Gullivera’s Journey / The Revenge), a radical collaboration between the puppet-theater collective Das Helmi and the performance group Markus&Markus . A Radical Reimagining Gulliveras Reise - Staatstheater Oldenburg 2017...
The stage was transformed into a "performative alliance" of ropes, strings, and avant-garde imagery. One standout scene featured the ensemble pinning Gullivera to the floor by her hair while she delivered a monologue on Russian revolutionary feminism.
Let's discuss the weirdest theater you've seen lately! Forget the Disneyfied versions of Jonathan Swift’s classic
When Gulliver Became "Gullivera": A Look Back at Oldenburg’s 2017 Performative Experiment
True to Das Helmi's style, the play used "loose associations" and a revue-like structure rather than a strictly linear plot, blending high-concept satire with raw, physical performance. The Creative Team Behind the Madness In April 2017, the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater opened its
The concept was developed by a large team including Florian Loycke (Das Helmi master-mind), Johannes Lange , and bondage artist Dasniya Sommer , whose influence was felt in the intricate rope-work and "SM-inflected" visuals used to cage Gullivera. Why It Mattered