Łukasz Twarkowski, Anka Herbut: Oracle

Theatre, Ruhrbühnen for Democracy

28.8.-2.9.2025

Kraftzentrale, Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord, Kraftzentrale

A theatrical multimedia exploration into Alan Turing, AI, and the dark soul of technology.

Alan Turing was a pioneer of modern computer technology: he cracked the Enigma code and helped the British government to shorten the Second World War. Nonetheless, the same government persecuted him for his sexual orientation. After Respublika in 2022, Łukasz Twarkowski returns to Ruhrtriennale with Oracle, a multimedia theatre piece by playwright Anka Herbut. Together, they explore Turing’s tragic life and legacy. Set in post-war Britain and a timeless digital realm, Oracle examines the politicization of technology. Through immersive soundscapes and cinematic projections, it blurs reality and illusion, questioning whether advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Visually stunning and provocative, Oracle reflects on Turing’s secrets, prophetic insights, and the AI-shaped future he helped create.

Oracle is part the democracy campaign of the RuhrBühnen network.

Produced by Dailes Theatre Latvia and Ruhrtriennale. Coproducers: New Error, Comedie de Geneve, Piccolo Teatro di Milano - Teatro d’Europa, De Singel Antwerp, Adam Mickiewicz Institute.

Several people perform in a lit stage room; one actor plays the accordion. Above the stage you can see a big screen displaying projections of the actors. — © Marko Rass

Three women dancing and playing on stage; one sits laughing on a chair. — © Marko Rass

Ensemble in an open stage space; above the scene, a video projection shows two people lying together. — © Marko Rass

A person walks through a narrow, futuristically lit stage corridor, surrounded by other figures. — © Marko Rass

Three people in a messy office stage setting; one person climbs a column. — © Marko Rass

Two men stand on stage, one playing an accordion, both engaged in a conversation. — © Marko Rass

Behind the Scenes

Festival Stories

Cast

Direction
- Łukasz Twarkowski
Text, Dramaturgy
- Anka Herbut
Set Design, Lightning Design Concept
- Fabien Lédé
Costumes
- Svenja Gassen
Video Design and Digital Media
- Jakub Lech
Composition
- Julek Ploski
Choreography and Artistic Collaboration
- Pawel Sakowicz
Light Design
- Eugenijus Sabaliauskas
Assistant Director
- Diāna Kaijaka
Assistant Playwright
- Loreta Kalniņa
Video Assistant
- Ričard Žigis
Acting
- Juris Bartkevičs,
- Kaspars Dumburs,
- Klāvs Kristaps Košins,
- Mārtiņš Meiers,
- Katarzyna Osipuk,
- Rytis Saladžius,
- Nelė Savičenko,
- Artūrs Skrastiņš,
- Ilze Ķuzule-Skrastiņa,
- Vita Vārpiņa,
- Madara Viļčuka,
- Xiaochen Wang
Production
- Vidas Bizunevičius (New Error),
- Liga Svempe (Dailes Theatre Latvia)
Technical Project Manager Dailes Theatre Latvia
- Mārtiņš Vigups
Production Manager Ruhrtriennale
- Charlotte Wulff,
- Laura Becker
Technical Project Manager Ruhrtriennale
- Darko Šošić
Technician
- Christian Benz,
- Anne Gollasch,
- Adam Petrenko
Dressing, collaboration costumes
- Sabine Höhfeld,
- Marion Felix-Groll,
- Eva Gamble,
- Pia Norberg,
- Manuela Heukamp,
- Alexandra Schramm,
- Renate Wellershausen

Supporters Ruhrtriennale

Supported by Ammodo.

Funded by Kunststiftung NRW.

Further supporters

Dailes Theater Latvia is an Lietuvos mokslo taryba Innovation Partner.

Visit

Language

English, Latvian, Lithuanian and Chinese with English and German surtitles
Run time

ca. 3 h 30 min.
Introduction

An introduction will take place in the foyer of the Kraftzentrale 45 minutes before the start of each event.
Notices

The event will address the issues of war and suicide.

Strobe lighting and increased volume are part of the production. For people sensitive to volume, our team will provide you with hearing protection free of charge on site.
Bring your friends!

Bring Your Friends: For the performance on 2 September, you will receive up to three additional tickets with a 50% discount for each full-price ticket.