ugly duckling
by Bastian Kraft and the ensemble
based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen
based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen
"I never dreamed of such happiness as this while I was an ugly little duckling."
Many of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales deal with the subject of transformation: the little mermaid turns into a human, the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. The fact that these can also be regarded as a masked game of sexual and gender transformation is the starting point for a project that juxtaposes Andersen's fairy tales with the lives of Berlin drag queens. These doyens of urban nightlife turn this gender-bending game into a liberating spectacle. In doing so, they move between shameless self-expression and subcultural crusade. Their transformations using make-up and wigs produce not only a new persona but also new self-confidence. The character that emerges is the proud swan, in whose form the ugly duckling can confront the world.
The director Bastian Kraft was honoured with the "Ehrenstöckel" by "Travestie für Deutschland" in 2019.
All performances are shown with English surtitles.
Note: Strobe light is used in the performance.
Many of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales deal with the subject of transformation: the little mermaid turns into a human, the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. The fact that these can also be regarded as a masked game of sexual and gender transformation is the starting point for a project that juxtaposes Andersen's fairy tales with the lives of Berlin drag queens. These doyens of urban nightlife turn this gender-bending game into a liberating spectacle. In doing so, they move between shameless self-expression and subcultural crusade. Their transformations using make-up and wigs produce not only a new persona but also new self-confidence. The character that emerges is the proud swan, in whose form the ugly duckling can confront the world.
The director Bastian Kraft was honoured with the "Ehrenstöckel" by "Travestie für Deutschland" in 2019.
All performances are shown with English surtitles.
Note: Strobe light is used in the performance.
Director Bastian Kraft
Stage design / Video Peter Baur
Costumes Jelena Miletić
Music Romain Frequency
Stage lighting Thomas Langguth
Dramaturgy Ulrich Beck
World premiere
25 April 2019, Kammerspiele
25 April 2019, Kammerspiele
Jade Pearl Baker
Gérôme Castell
Judy LaDivina
Helmut Mooshammer
Caner Sunar
Regine Zimmermann
Presented by
What's on
Performance changed
Blue Wednesday - all tickets for 12 euros
With English surtitles
Director: Anne Lenk
Due to a technical defect, tonight's performance of
A Woman Running from the News (Eine Frau flieht vor einer Nachricht) unfortunately has to be cancelled. Instead we are showing Minna von Barnhelm. Tickets already purchased remain valid or can be returned or exchanged within 14 days. Today's special price of 12€ on all seats also applies to Minna von Barnhelm!
A Woman Running from the News (Eine Frau flieht vor einer Nachricht) unfortunately has to be cancelled. Instead we are showing Minna von Barnhelm. Tickets already purchased remain valid or can be returned or exchanged within 14 days. Today's special price of 12€ on all seats also applies to Minna von Barnhelm!
Deutsches Theater
19.00 - 20.50