Liv Strömquist, born in 1978, has been dubbed the “Stefanie Sargnagel of Sweden” – and her graphic novels are gaining significant traction. The demand for her work is now extending to the theater world, with productions eager to adapt her stories for the stage. The Schauspielhaus Graz will premiere “Das Orakel spricht” (The Oracle Speaks) on April 10th as a “pop-theatrical exploration of meaning.” The production will be directed by Katrin Plötner, who has previously adapted two of Strömquist’s works, most recently “Im Spiegelsaal” (In the Mirror Hall) about beauty and patriarchal structures at the Staatsschauspiel Dresden.
However, the Wiener Volkstheater is currently leading the charge with “Liv, Love, Laugh Strömquist,” a circus indicate that premiered on Friday. As a counterpoint to the grand retrospective of Gustave Courbet at the Leopold Museum, including his provocative painting “The Origin of the World,” an adaptation of Strömquist’s work on the vulva – published under the same title – might have seemed fitting. Instead, the Volkstheater is building on the success of the Graz production, integrating “Das Orakel spricht” into “Liv, Love, Laugh Strömquist,” the third collaboration between the philosophical comic artist and playwright Ada Berger.
Ghostly Insights
Despite the intriguing premise, the title itself doesn’t fully convey the show’s content, which may explain why several seats remained empty during the Austrian premiere. Nevertheless, director Anna Marboe, known for her quick wit, along with set designers Helene Payrhuber and Sophia Profanter, and the entire cast, delivered a dynamic performance. The production featured playful monsters, insightful ghosts, speech bubbles with projected text, and a scene contemplating snowfall that perfectly mirrored the weather outside. However, the nuanced social commentary sometimes gets lost amidst the abundance of references, Instagram quotes, and inside jokes.
At its core, this “Life Coaching to the Death,” as it’s subtitled, explores the obsession with self-optimization and the elusive pursuit of happiness. The show is filled with questionable advice, such as that offered by influencer Rollo Tomassi, who advises men to remain in the waiting room so that a woman will approach to greet them.
The show unfolds as a series of absurd and musical vignettes, lacking a traditional narrative arc. As with the work of Gunkl and other cabaret artists, everything comes together in the final moments – after 105 minutes – in a truly captivating and deeply sentimental image.
The strongest moments of the performance aren’t evenly distributed among the cast. Sebastian Rudolph delivers hilariously bizarre thoughts with a charmingly gruff tone and interacts warmly with the audience, even as Nicolas Frederick Djuren shines with a parody of James Bond and a musical number about a real estate agent in Mallorca. Claudia Sabitzer makes a strong impression early on, portraying a character who has already achieved everything imaginable by the age of 35 (including two Oscars) and basks in the spotlight to Vangelis’s “Chariots of Fire.” However, the standout song of the evening is a vibrant remix of “Pump Up The Jam!” with the message “Make My Day,” a poignant reminder that every day could be the last.
The production highlights the growing trend of adapting graphic novels for the stage, offering a unique blend of social commentary and theatrical spectacle.
