Die Wildente

Thomas Ostermeier's staging of an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's drama The Wild Duck, on the consequences of imposing the truth at any price. Performed in German with Spanish surtitles.

The production arrives in Madrid as a Spanish premiere, directed by Thomas Ostermeier, artistic director of the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz in Berlin. It takes as its starting point the drama Henrik Ibsen wrote in 1884 and follows the Ekdal family, who appear to lead a quiet life, although it rests on lies, secrets and self-deception. Gregers Werle, whose father is a wealthy businessman, returns after years away and, on seeing Hjalmar Ekdal again, an old friend of his, uncovers a secret involving Hjalmar's father, Gina, Hjalmar's wife, and Werle himself.

Obsessed with living according to the truth, Gregers resolves to bring to light everything that has been hidden, convinced that without falsehoods Hjalmar will be able to build an authentic existence. The production asks whether one needs to know everything that has happened in order to go on living. An injured duck, housed in a small artificial forest in the attic, serves as a metaphor for characters who have created a fictitious world in which to survive.

The show is performed in German and has Spanish surtitles. It includes intense noise and scenes of suicidal behaviour and violence. On the stage of the Sala Roja Concha Velasco at Teatros del Canal, the performance examines the self-deception one practises, well-being, the weight of guilt, idealistic illusions and how far the truth really goes.