Der lachende Mann

In the organizer's words:

Following the success of Mikhail Bulgakov's "Master and Margarita" in the 2023/24 season, Armin Petras is once again staging a great novel at the brechtbühne of the Staatstheater Augsburg. Together with his team, he is creating a multi-layered evening of theater that poses the big questions of our time in dazzling images.

Hardly anyone knows Victor Hugo's 1869 novel "L'homme qui rit" ("The Man Who Laughs", "The Laughing Man" or "The Laughing Mask" in German), but almost everyone knows the character who became famous from it and entered pop culture: Joker, with his perpetual, grotesque laughter. Armin Petras takes the novel as the basis and starting point for his new production at the Staatstheater Augsburg.
The first part follows the plot of the novel. England in the late 17th century: Gwynplaine was disfigured as a small child - an eternal smile was carved into his face. When his tormentors abandon him, he tries to protect himself from the snow and cold and rescues a girl who has almost frozen to death on the way, before being taken in by the traveling philosopher and artist Ursus and his wolf Homo.

They travel through the country and perform circus acts. At Queen Anne's court, however, trouble is brewing for the small family of choice, as Duchess Josiana and her assistant Barkilphedro have other plans for Gwynplaine's future.

In the second part, the production leaves the original novel and jumps to the present day: the laughing man alias Gwynplaine becomes the Joker and takes part in a casting show with other characters from the Marvel and DC universes and supposed pop stars. Gwynplaine's laughter becomes laughter at the absurd world of the show, in which people seek social advancement. A promise of happiness that can probably never be fulfilled, neither in Hugo nor today.